Broken
by Dotje90
Summary: Kurt is a abused Sub who's moving to Dalton for his own safety. There he meets Dom Blaine and his friends. They're commited to show Kurt that not all Dom's are bad. A story about friendship, trust and love. D/s Klaine AU
1. Chapter 1

Broken

 **I don't own anything. I apologize for any mistakes, English isn't my first language.**

Chapter 1

"And now we walk into the hallway to the dorm rooms." The red haired woman, Mrs Leviton, quickly turned left. Burt Hummel and his son followed her in silence. Burt quickly looked behind him to check on how his son was doing. Kurt's face was paler than normal, he held his bag firmly against his chest as if he was afraid it would disappear into thin air. His eyes were wide and were checking every corner and sideway. Burt sighs sadly and quickly looked ahead at the woman. The terrified face of his son broke his heart.

Burt remembered when Kurt was a lively bubbly teenager, who wanted nothing but meet a lovely Dom and run off to the sunset together. Burt had always wanted the best for his son. It was just Kurt and him for years, after his wife died in a tragic car crash when Kurt was 8. Burt would lie if he told that raising Kurt on his own was a piece of cake. After Elizabeth died they both had trouble to move on with their lives. But Burt tried to make the best of Kurt's life, he made sure that Elizabeth would never be forgotten. It helped Kurt to find closure.

Eventually Kurt went to high school, made friends and joined Glee Club. Burt was proud of his son and when Kurt came out to him at the age of 15, he accepted him and told Kurt how proud he was and that he'll always be his dad no matter what. Burt always dreaded the day his son would turn 16 because that was the age most sub would find a Dom. Kurt did find someone. And it ruined him completely...

Mrs. Leviton quickly looked down at her papers, she was completely unaware of the clench fist from Burt who was sucked up in his own memories and the frightened look on Kurt's face."Room 303, this way."

"It's quiet." Burt commented, he could feel Kurt shiver next to him.

Mrs. Leviton smiled friendly. "The classes last till 4.30 PM. They still have 2 hours to go. I thought it might be easier to move in when things aren't so ... busy around here." The pause made it obvious that she knew about Kurt's situation. She stopped in front of one of the many doors and put the key in the lock. "Room 303. This is your room, Kurt." She looked briefly at the boy but stepped aside to let them in when she didn't get a answer.

Burt went in first, followed by Kurt. The room was small, a bed, a bureau, a shelf to put on some clothes but it was enough to survive. Burt noticed a door. Mrs. Leviton followed his glance and smiled. "That's the bathroom. You asked for a private bathroom, right?" She quickly looked through her papers as if she was checking if she made a mistake.

Burt saw Kurt relax slightly. His son walked around and stared out of the window. Burt smiled, Kurt was always a private person and he knew that if he didn't get a bathroom on his own that they won't be staying here at Dalton. Not because Kurt was a diva, interacting with other people was a big problem. "It is what we asked for. The headmaster said it won't be easy to arrange that, but I'm glad it did. Thank you."

Mrs. Leviton smiled friendly. "It's no problem, Mr. Hummel. So, are you'll aware of the house rules?" Both men nodded. "Okay. The classes start at 8.30 AM in the morning till 4.30 PM. Breakfast is at 7.30 AM, lunch is at 12.30 AM and dinner is at 17.30 AM. Food is forbidden in the rooms, students should eat in the canteen and if you want to eat in Westerville or somewhere close by you need to report it at the receptionist so that we know where you're at. Understood?"

Kurt swallowed but nodded. Burt put a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly. He knew how much trouble it was for Kurt to eat with other people. He just hoped that he had made the right decision to put Kurt in Dalton. The school had a no bullying policy, and the headmaster assured Burt that Kurt would be completely save.

"You have to wear the Dalton uniform at all times during classes, after classes you are allowed to wear whatever you want." Mrs. Leviton continued. Her eyes glanced at Kurt's scarf firmly wrapped around his neck. 'I'm sorry, Kurt. But scarves aren't allowed, you'll be wearing a tie that matches the uniform."

Kurt shakes his head vividly, his hand moved to the blue scarf as if Mrs. Leviton wanted to pull it off. She stood frozen in her place, glancing at Burt helplessly while the boy had a silent panic attack. Burt hurried to the side of his son and pulled him in a firm bear hug, rubbing his back and making promises that everything is going to be okay. Slowly Kurt's breathing turned back to normal. Burt glared at Mrs. Leviton. "The scarf stays on."

Mrs. Leviton looked a little confused but nods. She cleared her throat and continued on. "If there are any problems of questions you can always go to your floor supervisor. If anything is broken, report it to him and he'll report it to me or Mr. Grant and we'll take care of it."

"Why can't he report it to you?" Burt asks.

"It's easier and quicker, we have 1400 students at this school. We have chosen floor supervisors amongst the students for extra credit who want to help people. We work like this for years and no complaints yet." Mrs. Leviton smiled proudly at this. "Trust me, Mr. Hummel, the floor supervisors are perfectly capable of taken care of their floor. They're here to keep a extra eye on things, so Kurt, don't hesitate to step by later for introduction. Let's see who your Floor supervisor is..." She looked through her papers. "Oh." She smiled at Kurt. "Your floor supervisor is Blaine Anderson, room 301. It's at the end of the hall."

"Blaise?" Burt frowns.

"Blaine." Mrs. Leviton corrected.

"Is he a Dom?"

Mrs. Leviton nods. "Yes. Burt, I can assure you that Blaine is a really responsible boy, he's a excellent student and the lead singer of the Warblers."

"What are the Woblers?" Burt growls, not convinced by Mrs. Leviton.

"Warblers," Mrs. Leviton corrected. "They're the glee club of Dalton."

Burt glanced at Kurt who perked up a little at the word "glee club", Kurt used to sing all the time. Burt turns back at Mrs. Leviton. "Okay, but I'm meeting this Blaine guy too."

"Mr. Hummel, I can assure you that isn't necessary."

"I don't care, if my son has to meet a Dom, I'll be there by his side." Burt crossed his arms in front of his chest, ready to go into discussion. "Where is Blaine now?"

Mrs. Levinton looked put out by the outburst of Burt but quickly recovered. "He has classes till 4.30 and after that he has Warbler practice. He won't be in his room for the next 3 hours."

"Fine, I'll wait." Burt sat down on the bed.

"You'll wait for three hours?" Mrs. Levinton shrieked.

Burt nods. "I'm not letting my son alone with a Dom."

"He won't be alone, he's surrounded by students everywhere." Mrs. Levinton protested. She knew a little bit about what Kurt has been through and she couldn't imagine how Kurt feels at the moment but she had the idea that his overprotective father had more problems letting go of the past . How was Kurt suppose to get over what had happened in the past if his dad kept reminding him in the future? "This school is full of Dom's, Mr. Hummel. They'll know the rules and they won't bother your son with anything. We have strict rules for Sub's and Dom's. The only time they get to interact is during class, dinner or in the entertainment room. No night visits or anything."

"I've read the rules."

"Then you also know that only when a Sub and a Dom want to officially enter a Bond that's when the Sub comes into the headmaster's office and asks for a shared room. Only the Sub can ask for that, just to make sure a Sub isn't forced by a Dom."

Burt was about to open his mouth when Kurt put his hand on Burt's shoulder and shakes his head. He spoke with a soft voice: "It's okay, dad."

"Kurt..." Burt shakes his head.

"I'll be fine, dad. I'm sure I have everything here. You can go home."

"But, what about...?"

"He's not here, dad. You said yourself that Dalton was completely save." Kurt tried to sound as convincing as he could because if he was honest to himself he was terrified.

Burt sighs. "I know, son. I'm sorry." He pulled Kurt in a big bear hug. "You'll be fine."

xxx

"Blaine." Jeff Sterling sat down next to him with a sly grin on his face and Blaine took a deep breath. Whatever his blond friend was excited about, it was never good.

"What's up, Jeffie?" Blaine put on a smile. He looked at Jeff and frowns when he didn't see Jeff's chocolate haired Dom next to him. Nick barely let Jeff alone, the two were joined at the hip. "Where's Nick?"

"Bathroom, he really needed to pee." Jeff explains. When he saw Blaine's face he sighs. "What? Is it so weird that we don't go to the bathroom together?"

"You usual do." Sebastian Smyth entered the room with a snarky smile on his face. He sat down in one of the chairs.

Jeff rolls his eyes. "Nick and I are not that bad."

Thad snorts. "You two are the worst."

"Am not!" Jeff pouts.

At that moment David and Wes walked in. "Good afternoon everybody." Wes cheered. His happy greeting was met with silence. "What?"

"Every time you're happy we're screwed." Trent was already looking nervous.

"That's a little ... overreacted don't you think?" Wes said, sitting down in his counsel chair, crossing his arms.

"Last time you smiled like that I couldn't walk for a week." Dylan spat. Apparently he wasn't the only one because everyone started to nod.

"I refuse to dance for 13 hours again." David groans.

"Why don't you do all of us a favor and never dance again?" Sebastian sneered.

"Excuse me?" David stood up from his chair, towering over the Sub.

Sebastian wasn't impressed and crossed his legs. "You have cost us Nationals last year with your clumsiness."

Jeff snorts. "It wasn't only David's clumsiness, the choreography was awful."

Sebastian glared at Jeff. "Really, Sterling? Do you think you can do it better?"

"I know I can do it better, Smyth."

"Bring it on!"

Wes hit the table with his gavel. "Enough! The choreography was fine, Jeff. And there is nothing wrong with David's footwork... much."

"Hey!" David protested. And that started off another discussion that took the rest of the Warbler practice. Blaine took a deep breath and sat back, trying to stay out of it. He hadn't expected that the first Warbler practice of the year would be productive but it was his senior year and he would like to end his years at Dalton winning Nationals. When the bell rang, he sneaked out of the music room.

On his way to dinner Blaine saw Eddie talking to a painting on the wall. He smiled friendly at the boy. Eddie was a little... odd. Nobody really talked to the boy and Blaine never saw him with other students. That was probably because he says he can talk to angels. "Hey, Eddie. How are the Angels today?"

Eddie turns away from the painting and gave Blaine a big smile. "Perfectly fine, Blaine, thank you for asking. Castiel is a little bit worried about the future, you know, with Lucifer being released on earth to raise some hell but Cupid seems optimistic because he says there'll be a new couple soon walking around at Dalton."

Blaine blinks. Eddie has never spoken so many words to him in all the four years he knows him, it took a while to adjust the words. "Cupid? As in... Cupid?" Eddie nods. "I didn't know Cupid was a angel?"

Eddie shrugs. "Not many people know. He's a little shy."

"Oh." Blaine had no idea what to say. "Uhm... I gotta go, see you at dinner, Eddie?"

"Sure." Eddie turns his back away, back to the painting.

Blaine quickly made his way to the canteen, where people already were lining up for dinner. Blaine grabs a plate and joined the line. He nearly let his plate fall when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

"Blainers!" Jeff cheered, also grabbing a plate. Behind him Nick followed.

"Nick, where were you during Warbler practice?" Blaine asks. "You missed David and Wes almost biting each other's throats."

"That happens every practice." Nick shrugs. "I was... busy."

Blaine frowns, taking a closer look at his best friend. Nick Duvall was probably the most honest person Blaine had ever met so keeping secrets or being vague was nothing like him. He saw the sad look on Jeff's face and he knew that Jeff also had no idea what's going on. _Okay what was going on? Keeping secrets to your friend was one thing but to your sub was just wrong. A relationship between a Dom/sub was build on trust._

Blaine kept his mouth shut for now but he would ask Nick about it later. Nick avoids his eyes and start to fill his plate with potatoes. "Jeff, why don't you tell Blaine the big news?"

Jeff's eyes lit up, he bounced on his feet. "Have you heard the news yet?"

"Obvious not." Blaine fills his plate with a salad and some meat.

"There is a new student at Dalton." Jeff said with a knowing smile.

Blaine almost drops his plate. He stared at Jeff in shock. He couldn't even remember the last time there was a new student at Dalton. Mostly people with problems got a scholarship, think about: bad relationship with their parents, bullying, depressions or in some cases... if you have enough money you can _buy_ your way in. "You sure?" Jeff nodded so fast, he swayed unsteady on his feet. "How do you know?"

"Because his room is next to mine!" Jeff said. "I was almost late for class so I ran and saw Mrs. Leviton. She turned into the hallway to my room and we all know that the only free room in that hall is next to mine." Nick fills Jeff's plate because the blonde was too excited to pay attention to food.

Blaine walks to their usual table, scanning the crowd. He saw no new faces. Jeff and Nick followed and sat down. Blaine cut the meat. "We haven't had a new student since..."

"Teddy O' Flair." Nick said.

They'll remembered the small, shy Sub that came to Dalton four years ago. Teddy still didn't make contact with anyone and kept to himself. There were rumors that he was abandoned by his Dom. Blaine had English with Teddy and he remembered the broken form he met that day. A Dom rarely cries but that day Blaine had trouble keeping it together because his heart goes out to the poor Sub. Blaine shivers. He hoped that the new student didn't have any baggage and was just a happy person who chose Dalton because his dad had enough money.

"I can't wait to meet him and show him around." Jeff bounced in his seat. "We could be besties."

Blaine and Nick stared at each other knowingly. Jeff always wanted to meet new people and be friends, Nick had tried to warn Jeff that not all people were nice. But the blond was unstoppable. That was also a reason why Nick and Jeff were always together, Nick wanted to keep a eye on his Sub to make sure nobody was mean to him. Blaine had often said that maybe Jeff needed to learn it the hard way and Nick should back off a bit but Nick rather have Jeff live in his happy bubble for the rest of his life than face the truth.

And when Blaine looked at the happy blond he understand Nick's point of view. Jeff was so innocent and the world was a hard place. Jeff wasn't his Sub but Blaine knew that if someone made Jeff upset he would tear them apart, limp by limp.

xxx

Sebastian Smyth had to restrain himself for skipping to his dorm room. Of should he say... _theirs?_ When he first met his Dom Hunter Clarington he knew they're meant to be. Sebastian wasn't the... easiest Sub. He had a strong will, he wasn't afraid to speak his mind and that was unusual for a Sub. At some point during his second year at Dalton he started to wonder if something was wrong with him. No Dom ever made a move or showed any interest in him.

Then he met Hunter last year, who transferred to Dalton and swept him off his feet the first moment they met. Hunter was strong and confident and Sebastian felt safe and loved. Before summer started Hunter had suggested to move into one of the bigger rooms, specially designed for couples. Sebastian had immediately knocked on the headmaster's office to file the request. And here they are.

The dorm room was bigger but there were no new things, there was a master bedroom, closet and a bathroom. The school still wanted couples to eat in the canteen with the other students.

Sebastian opened the door and was disappointed that Hunter still wasn't there. They didn't share any classes this year so he had expected Hunter to be there already, waiting for him. Sebastian walked further into the room and threw his schoolbag on the bed. Suddenly two strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him to a chest. When Sebastian smelled the familiar scent of his Dom he relaxed. "You scared me."

"Sorry, I just missed you." Hunter mumbles, turning his Sub around and gave him a kiss on his mouth. "I hate not having the same classes as you."

"Me too." Sebastian sighs. Having Hunter in his arms now only reminded him about how awful he feels being apart during the day.

"How was Warbler Practice?" Hunter asks, leaning down on the bed, Sebastian laid down next to him.

"Don't even get me started, we've done nothing but arguing. We're hopeless." Sebastian pouts.

"Maybe the Warblers need to find a new lead singer, then you would win Nationals." Hunter suggested casual.

Sebastian shrugs. "It wasn't Blaine's fault David tripped on his own feet, rolled off stage and landed in the lap of a jury member. Without Blaine we would be more hopeless." He swallows, not staring at Hunter's face because he knew his Dom didn't want to answer the next question. "Why don't you come back to The Warblers? We all miss you. We need your voice."

Hunter scoffs. "I doubt that."

"Is this still about Blaine?" Sebastian asks, he regretted the question when he saw Hunter tense. He had no idea what happened between Blaine and Hunter in the past, Hunter refused to talk about it. All he knew was that Hunter saw Blaine as the source of all evil. "I know you think that Blaine bought his way into Dalton and the Warblers but..."

Hunter got up from the bed. "I don't _think_ that... I _know_ that! His parents are filthy rich, the Anderson's are loaded and spoil his children to death."

"But Blaine... he doesn't act like he's from a rich family, he doesn't parade with it or anything. He is really nice and has a good voice." Sebastian said. "Maybe if you just try to..."

"To what?!" Hunter spat, his eyes cold. Sebastian stared at his hands, not daring to look Hunter in the eyes. Hunter let out a deep breath. "I'm gonna take a shower." Sebastian immediately stand on his feet and ran to the drawer to grab two towels. Hunter stops him before he could enter the bathroom. "Alone." He grabs a towel and closed the bathroom door behind him.

Sebastian swallows away the tears threatening to fall and sat down on bed, silently listening to the shower water running. This was not how he pictured their first day in their new dorm.

xxx

Nick brought Jeff to his dorm, like he always did. Jeff couldn't help but notice that Nick was somewhere else in his mind. He tried not to stress about it but it was hard. His Sub side begged him to ask Nick the truth but Jeff trusted Nick to speak his mind if something was wrong. Nick had always shared everything with him. Jeff didn't want to push.

They stopped in front of Jeff's room. Jeff leans against the door. "Want to come in?"

"We shouldn't." Nick spoke softly.

"I know, but we could."

"I can't."

"What?" Jeff stared at Nick in shock. Nick was always in for a round of sneaky kisses and cuddles. He never refused him before.

"Blaine texted me, he wants to talk to me." Nick explains.

"Oh."

"See you tomorrow." Nick leans forward and gave Jeff a quick kiss on his cheek before hurrying away. Jeff stared after him, frozen on his spot. The only time Nick had kissed him on his cheek was during their first date, after that it was always his mouth. _What the hell was going on?_

Jeff opened his door and sat down on his bed, blinking away his tears. It hurt that Nick was hiding something. He thought Nick trusted him. Jeff swallows. _Maybe Nick met someone else during the few weeks apart during Summer? Maybe he was tired of me?_

This was not how Jeff Sterling expected his senior year to go, he wanted to be bonded with Nick and share one dorm room but now that seemed further away than ever. He couldn't help but feel like their relationship is at a breaking point.

Jeff laid back down on bed and let his tears run free.

xxx

Kurt was panicking, his heard was racing, his palms were sweaty. He let out a shaky breath, trying to calm himself before he lost it completely. He paced around his room, searching for the hundred time the closet and all corners in the room, but it really wasn't here.

No toilet paper.

Kurt swallows nervously. He really had no other choice then to go out of this room and search for Mrs. Levinton. If she still was at work. It was past 7 PM. His eyes landed on the paper in front of him, he stared at the name. _Or I could find this Blaine Anderson and ask him where I can find some toilet paper._

It's just down the hall.

 _I can't! He's a Dom!_ Kurt sat down on his bed, letting his head fall in his hands. Kurt let Mrs. Levinton's words about safety pass him again in his thoughts and he made a decision. He had to get out there, knock on the door of room 301 and ask for some toilet paper and run back to his room. He'll be gone for only 10 minutes at most. _I can do this._

Kurt stands up, wraps his scarf a little tighter around his neck, grabs the keys to his room and made his way to the door. He opened the door and peered out. The hallway was empty. He sighs a breath of relieve and closed and locked his door. Then he made his way to room 301. It was right down the hall but for Kurt it felt like he was walking for two hours. He tried to remember the basic rules of meeting a Dom. _Don't look in their eyes, it's rude. Don't speak unless you're spoken too. Don't move unless you have permission._

Kurt stops before room 301. He was about to knock when he could hear two voices arguing. He froze. They sounded angry. He quickly retrieved his hand already deciding to run back to his room, back to safety.

Suddenly the door opened and a boy with dark brown hair brushed passed him, he disappeared around the corner. A boy appeared in the doorway, wanting to shout something when he noticed Kurt and he quickly closed his mouth.

Kurt stared with wide eyes at the boy. The boy had dark, curly hair, he was still wearing his school uniform but Kurt didn't pay attention to that at all. He was captivated by the boy's eyes, Hazel Brown with a hint of... gold? The boy said something but Kurt couldn't hear it, he was too busy drowning in those eyes. Then he saw the boy smile, a bright smile that could light up a whole city. Kurt could feel his knees weaken. He couldn't help but just stare at him and break all the rules of between a Dom and Sub. He was just beyond... beautiful.

Kurt jumps when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Whoa easy." The boy steps back with his hands raised in surrender. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanted to... well you seemed deep in thought."

Kurt quickly looked at the floor, suddenly remembering the rules.

"I'm Blaine." The boy introduced, laughing sheepishly. "You're new here? I've never seen you before."

"Yes, sir." Kurt said barely a whisper but Blaine heard anyway.

"Blaine... Uhm... what's your name?" Blaine asks friendly. He stretched his hand to shake Kurt's.

Kurt looks up, confused. This was not how a Dom and a Sub should interact. The Dom should command something and the Sub should obey. At least... that's what Kurt was used too. Blaine was way too friendly for a Dom. Kurt shook Blaine's hand. "I'm Kurt Hummel."

"Nice to meet you." Blaine hold Kurt's hand a little longer then necessary but he quickly let go when he saw that Kurt's became uncomfortable. "Can I help you with something or is this a social call?"

"I'm..." Kurt blushed, ducking his head. Suddenly his request felt ridiculous. "I need... I don't have toilet paper." He waited for Blaine to mock him or laugh at him. But it didn't happen.

"Oh. I'll see if I still have something." Blaine retrieved to his room, out of sight. "Normally I would walk you to the janitor's closet but I don't have the key and the janitor is already home."

"I can wait till tomorrow, I just..." Kurt stutters.

Blaine came back with toilet paper in his hands, he handed it to Kurt who had a guilty expression on his face. "It's no problem."

"Really? I don't want to ..."

"It's okay, Kurt." Blaine reassured.

Kurt nods, whispering a soft "Thank you."

Blaine saw the boy relax a little bit. "You want to come in?"

"Oh no, I should be going." Kurt already retrieved quickly. "Thank you once again, sir... Blaine." And he was gone.

Blaine slowly closed the door, leaning against it, he led himself slide to the ground till his butt hit the floor. His heart was racing. When he saw that beautiful Sub in front of his door he had to restrain his Dom side to claim him immediately.

He really needed to talk to Eddie because he could swore that he just met a actual _angel._

xxx

Kurt quickly closed the door behind him and let himself fall on the bed. _Maybe Dalton wouldn't be so bad after all._

 **A/N. And so it begins... Let me know your thoughts on this story by dropping a review or PM! I'm still looking for a beta so if you want to help me, PM me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N: Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and faves. Along the way you get the answers about what happened to Kurt and you find out who his ex dom is soon. I can't keep it a secret for too long otherwise the story would make no sense. But I can keep the mysterious Dom a secret for at least one more chapter.**

 **BIG thanks to my beta EmeryFelton!**

 **Anyway, hope you like the new chapter. Let me know by leaving a review!**

Kurt woke up in a cold sweat. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was. He glanced around the unfamiliar room. Outside the room, he could hear doors opening, and people talking and walking. It was then that Kurt remembered. He took a deep, shaky breath. He was at Dalton. He was safe and he wasn't going to be able to hurt him at Dalton. Those words repeated themselves until Kurt calmed his racing heart. _'He's almost a hundred miles away from you, Kurt. Take a breath...breathe.'_

His nightmare had seemed so real. It was like he was back, back to torment him.

Kurt took another deep breath and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with his sleeve. He glanced at his alarm clock. 7:00 AM. It was time to get ready. Kurt gently pushed himself out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. He needed a shower despite not planning to attend breakfast with his new classmates. He still had a few crackers from home in his bag. That would be enough to get through the morning.

Once in the bathroom, Kurt immediately turned on the shower and while the water was heating up, he removed his pajamas. Testing the water with his hand, he deemed the temperature decent before hopping in, letting the water wash the remnants of his nightmare away and relax his tense muscles. After a few more moments, he turned off the shower. Kurt stepped out and wrapped a towel around his skinny waist. He was about to walk into his room to retrieve his uniform when his eyes landed on the full-length mirror attached to the back of his bathroom door.

Kurt stilled. Although the glass was slightly covered in a watery fog, he was still able to see the dark marks marring his porcelain flesh. His whole body was covered in bruises and scars; his arms, his torso and his legs. His neck was the worst. It still had the signs that someone had tried to choke him.

' _It happened months ago...and the marks are still there.'_

Kurt quickly looked away and practically ran back to his bedroom. He knew he would never heal, but to see it so obviously written all over his body still hurt. He quickly got dressed and wrapped his scarf around his neck. He paced around for a bit until he heard the first bell. Classes were about to begin. Kurt took another deep breath. ' _You can do this. You have to do this_.' He grabbed his class schedule and walked out of the room, prepared for his first day of classes at his new school.

"I'm going to put a flyer on every wall at Dalton." Wes chattered. "We need more members to compete. Blaine? Are you even listening?"

Blaine wasn't. He glanced around the cafeteria, but he didn't see the boy he had met so briefly yesterday. He sighed, defeated.

"Why the sad face?" Jeff asked with a mouth full of toast.

"It's because of the Warblers, of course." Wes said matter-of-factly.

David sighed. "Nobody cares, Wes!"

Wes glared at his best friend. "Nobody cares?! David, this is our senior year. This is our last chance to win Nationals and you dare to say nobody cares? Everybody depends on our success."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Give it up, Wes. The day that everyone saw the Warblers as rock stars is over. Performing in shopping malls and nursing homes is what we do with half of our time and the other half is spent murdering each other. We're not exactly rock n' roll quality anymore. To be honest, I don't know if I'll be staying in the Warblers this year. I need to concentrate on my exams." With that, he stood up and walked away.

"Traitor." Wes muttered.

"He'll come around. He threatens to quit every week." Dylan tried to reassure Wes.

"He has a point though. We need to do something or else we're just wasting time." Trent said. "My parents want results, and if we don't reach Sectionals this year, they threatened to pull me out of Dalton."

Wes sighed. "We'll get to Sectionals this year, Trent and we'll win Nationals. I'll think of something."

Just then, the bell rang and Dom's and Sub's throughout the cafeteria said goodbye to one another, walking to their separate classes. Tuesdays and Thursdays were separate class days, Dom's together and Sub's together. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays were mixed class days.

Blaine was still deep in thought, worried about the new Sub. He had hoped to talk to him again.

"You okay, Blaine?" Nick asked.

"Not really. I met the new student yesterday, a Sub."

"Really? When?"

"You almost ran him over when you stormed out of my room."

"Oh. And?"

"What?"

"Come on, you know what I mean. Is he nice?"

Blaine shrugged. "I didn't speak to him for very long, but...I don't know how to say this." He looked sadly over at his friend. "He's polite, but, Nick, I don't believe he's here because his parents are rich."

Nick stared at him with disgust. "You've got to be kidding me. Someone treated him badly?"

Blaine snorted derisively. "This is far worse than treating him badly, Nick. I think it goes way beyond that."

"You're thinking abuse." Nick clenched his fist. He thought about his own Sub and he already missed Jeff terribly. He couldn't protect Jeff when he was too far away from him, but that was the thing. Jeff could always turn to Nick with any of his problems and Nick would do anything to solve them. The new Sub had probably trusted his Dom to take care of him and his Dom shattered that trust. This situation didn't just make Nick angry. It would make most Dom's furious. It was illegal to abuse your Sub. Subs could press charges against such abuse and Dom's would face prison time and a ban of ever owning a Sub again.

"I know what you're thinking, Blaine." Nick gave his friend a knowing look. They walked into the classroom and sat down. "But helping someone who's been through hell won't be easy. Look at Teddy. We couldn't help him, no matter how we tried."

"Maybe we gave up too soon."

"We tried for three years. He didn't want any help."

Blaine sighed, letting his head drop to his hands. "I know it won't be easy, Nick, but I want to help him and I'm not giving up on him."

Just then, the teacher walked in the room and class began.

When Kurt finally found the right classroom, he was almost too late. He quickly ran into the room and tripped over something big lying on the ground before bouncing directly into another body. Arms were quick to hold him upright.

"S-sorry," Kurt stuttered. "I tripped over something." He looked at the boy keeping him upstanding and noticed it was a sub with a round face, blue eyes and a friendly smile.

"It's all right. That something is called a Jeff." The boy let go of Kurt and pointed at a blond sub lying on the floor. "He's pretending to be dead."

"And break Mr. Hufferson's legs in the meantime." A brown haired, small Sub giggles. He sat cross legged on a table, watching the scene unfold with an amused smile.

Jeff opened his eyes with a huff and glared at the boys before him. "Guys, talk a little less. I can't concentrate on being dead." The blond sub said, closing his eyes once more.

"I'm Thad." The brown haired sub sitting on the table held out his hand and Kurt shook it.

"Kurt Hummel."

"I'm Trent." The boy he bumped into, said. "So, you're the new guy huh? Where are you from?"

"Lima, Ohio." Kurt was interrupted when a group of four Subs came through the door and promptly fell over Jeff's body, landing in a heap on the floor. Jeff groaned painfully.

A boy with red hair glared at Jeff. "Why is he just lying there?"

Thad shrugged. "All he said was that he hated history. It has nothing to do with present day or the future."

The group of boys shook their heads before taking their seats. A minute later, a boy with ice cold eyes and a Meercat face entered the room. He glanced down at where Jeff was lying and smirked. "Pretending to be a doormat, are you, Sterling? Fitting. Well, in that case..." He lifted one of his feet and pointed it at Jeff's face, looking ready to wipe the dirt on the bottom of his shoe there. Kurt gasped loudly, moving forward to stop the newcomer, but froze when the boy glanced over at Kurt. Sebastian quirked an eyebrow, shook his head, stepped over Jeff and walked to a table and sat down.

"Don't mind Sebastian. He's...Sebastian." Trent said. Kurt nodded, but he didn't think he would ever want to talk to Sebastian.

At that moment, a bald older man entered the room, observing Jeff. A fond smile covered his face when he saw Jeff's eyelids flicker. "Ah, looks like Mr. Sterling won't be joining our classes this year. It's a shame, he was always a...bright light in my class. Can someone please volunteer to inform Mr. Duvall about what happened with his Sub?" All hands raised into the air, except for Kurt who was confused about what was happening, and Sebastian, who just refused to play along. The older man smiled. "Looks like Mr. Duvall won't have to wait long before someone will be sweeping him off of his feet."

Jeff jumped up. His hair and uniform were a mess. His eyes were wide open. "It's a miracle. I'm alive!"

"Too bad too. I was just about to burn you with my cigarette." Sebastian drawled.

Jeff pouted. "You love me too much, Seb." Sebastian rolled his eyes, but Kurt saw a playful smile on his face. Jeff walked over to his seat and sat down.

The teacher was making his way to his desk when he saw Kurt standing uncomfortably in a corner. "Ah." He retrieved a clipboard from his desk and glanced at it. "You must be Kurt Hummel. Welcome, Mr. Hummel. I'm Mr. Hufferson." All eyes turned to Kurt and he felt his cheeks heat up. "Just pick a seat and then we'll get started."

Jeff waved. "Oh, pick me." Since Jeff was the only one who begged Kurt to sit down next to him, he chose Jeff and sat down. Jeff smiled brightly at Kurt. "I have a feeling we're going to be besties!"

The day passed by uneventfully. Kurt noticed that most students he had classes with that day were curious, but didn't ask questions or bother him for anything. Kurt was grateful for that. He had classes all day with Jeff, and the cheery blond showed him around during their lunch hour. Kurt decided that Jeff was okay. Yes he talked a lot, but he was also friendly and harmless. He could really see that he and Jeff would become close friends in the near future.

Everything was going great until dinner began.

"Come on! Let's eat! I'm starving." Jeff dragged Kurt towards the cafeteria.

"Wait, Jeff!"

But the blond was too excited to introduce Kurt to Nick that he wasn't paying much attention. "It's time for you to meet Nick, my Dom. He's amazing. You'll like him."

Kurt was finally able to pull himself free. Jeff turned around with a confused expression on his face. "I can't, Jeff." Kurt peered over Jeff's shoulder to see the other students filing into the cafeteria. He noticed a few Dom's glancing their way.

"You don't want to eat with me? But you haven't eaten anything all day." Jeff said. "I know Dalton isn't exactly a five star restaurant, but the food isn't that bad. Well, actually, there was one time when David got food poisoning, but..." He trailed off after noticing Kurt's expression. "Sorry. That's not helping either, is it?"

"Not really."

"Well, we could always order take out, or go somewhere else?" Jeff suggested.

Kurt saw a Dom with dark brown hair walking their way. "It's okay, Jeff. I should go."

"Wait, but you need to take care of yourself, Kurt. Not eating at all isn't exactly healthy. Nick says that you should eat at least three times a day."

Kurt saw the dark haired Dom waiting impatiently for Jeff to join him for dinner. He glanced a little worriedly over at them, but kept his distance. ' _How long will he wait before he snaps?_ '

"Don't worry about me, Jeff. I've got to go."

"But..." Jeff wanted to protest, but Kurt had already turned his back on the cafeteria and was walking quickly away. Jeff was interrupted from his thoughts when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist.

"Everything okay?" Nick asked.

"I don't know." Jeff sighed.

Nick turned Jeff around in his arms and realized that his Sub was upset. "Who were you talking to? What did he say to you?"

"Calm down, Nick." Jeff wrapped his own arms around his Dom's neck to pull him even closer. He could feel Nick relax. "That's Kurt. He's the new student and I wanted to introduce you two, but he's...something happened to him, Nick. Something bad." Jeff blinked away his tears. He could almost feel the fear Kurt felt. He couldn't imagine how it would be to live in constant fear. He couldn't imagine someone hurting Kurt. "Why would someone do that?"

Nick swallowed. He couldn't stand the tears falling down his Sub's face. He gently wiped them away and gave Jeff a kiss on his forehead. "I don't know, Jeff. I don't know why or what happened to Kurt in the past, but he's going to be fine, Jeff. You want to know why?"

Jeff looked up and sniffed. "Why?"

"Because now he has you." Nick intertwined their fingers. "He has me. I promise you, we will do everything to make him happy and feel safe again, okay?"

Jeff nodded. His lips twitched up again even though his eyes were still watery. "Should we run after him and invite him over to join us?"

Nick shook his head. "I don't think that will help Kurt, Jeff. We have to be patient and show him that we don't mean him any harm. We need to wait for him to come to us. Don't push him about his past, OK? It'll only drive him away."

"Okay." Jeff looked at his Dom and realized how lucky he was to have a Dom like Nick. Nick never raised his voice, or used violence. He was always calm and would move heaven and earth for him, but now Jeff had met Kurt. Now he had seen what could happen if you had a bad Dom, even though he still didn't understand it. A Dom was supposed to care for his Sub. To keep him safe. "I love you, Nick. You know that right?" He couldn't help the desperate tone escaping his mouth. He needed reassurance. He needed to know that Nick would always be there for him.

"I love you too, more than anything." Nick kissed him softly on the lips. Jeff happily melted into the kiss.

Kurt quickly turned the corner, still looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed by an angry Dom. He wasn't paying any attention to what was in front of him though, so it came as a bad surprise when he ran directly into something hard. He fell to the ground, his back hitting the floor. Kurt groaned out in pain. He felt hands on his arms trying to pull him up, but he let out a yelp and quickly pushed away until his back hit the wall. "Please... don't... don't hurt me."

"Why would I want to hurt you?" A familiar voice asked sounding slightly offended.

Kurt looked up and let out a breath of relief when he saw the familiar hazel eyes. Blaine.

"I…I'm..." Kurt stuttered.

"Here, let me help you up." Blaine gently pulled him to his feet. To his surprise, Kurt was as light as a feather. 'Did he even eat?'

"Are you okay? " Blaine asked politely. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

Kurt frowned. ' _Did Blaine honestly think this was his fault? A Dom should never apologize. Whatever happens, it was always the Sub's fault.'_ He had only seen Blaine once, but so far Blaine seemed to be the total opposite of everything Kurt had ever learned about Dom's.

"You're not going to eat?" Blaine asked, glancing over Kurt's shoulder, seeing the other students walking in to the cafeteria.

Kurt shook his head. "I'm not hungry." His stomach rumbled loudly in retaliation for Kurt's lie. He quickly wrapped his arms around his waist. He hadn't eaten a real meal since yesterday morning. He was starving. Blaine heard Kurt's demanding stomach and raised a disapproving eyebrow the boy's way. Kurt quickly looked down at his feet. He immediately hated himself for lying to Blaine.

Blaine promptly readjusted his expression once he saw Kurt's reaction. "…Or you don't want to eat in a crowded place where you don't know anyone," he said kindly.

Kurt looked up, staying silent.

"I wouldn't either. Maybe I can help you out. I wasn't going to eat in the cafeteria this evening, myself. I was going to go eat dinner at a lovely, quiet place off campus. The food is delicious." Blaine gave Kurt a blinding smile and Kurt could feel his heart skip a few beats. "Care to join me?"

Kurt gaped at Blaine as if he had heard him wrong. 'Did Blaine really just invite me to dinner?' He bit his lip weighing his options. He could stay here and starve to death or he could go with a Dom he hardly knew to dinner. He stared at Blaine who looked at him like a happy puppy waiting for an answer. He nodded. "Okay."

"Great. Um... let me get changed first and we'll meet in the parking lot? You can tell the receptionist that we'll eat out today. I'll be right back." And with one last smile, Blaine left.

Kurt made his way to the main office. He entered and walked up to the first desk he saw. The receptionist sitting behind it was a young girl with long, blond hair. She looked barely older than the students at Dalton and was chewing gum with a bored expression on her face. She was wearing a name tag on her chest: Melody Griffin.

The girl perked up when she saw Kurt stopping in front of her desk. "Can I help you?"

"Um...yes. I'm not eating at Dalton today." Kurt said softly.

Melody quickly pulled out a notebook. "Name?"

"Kurt Hummel."

The girl wrote it down. "Where are you going and how are you getting there?"

Kurt stared at her. He had no idea where Blaine was taking him or how they'd get there. He had his old SUV he had gotten from his dad, but he had no idea if Dalton even allowed Subs to drive. Melody continued. "Just following the rules. You're new here?" The girl gave him a friendly smile and Kurt relaxed a bit.

"So obvious, huh?" Kurt blushed.

"A bit," Melody nodded. "If you don't have a car, there is a bus stop 15 minutes away from Dalton. Are you familiar with Westerville? I could show you around." She quickly glanced at her watch. "My shift is ending in 30 minutes."

"Oh, I'm not going alone."

"Oh? Who's going with you?" Melody quickly grabbed her pen to make another note in her book. She looked at Kurt curiously with a teasing smile on her face. "Is it someone special?"

"Um..." Kurt trailed off, not expecting to be asked something so personal.

"It is!" Melody squealed. "Please tell me who? I'm dying for good gossip." She looked at Kurt with big pleading eyes. "You have no idea how boring this job is. Hearing people complain about their schedules and how they've lost their own car..." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Mel, your job isn't that bad."

Kurt turned around and his jaw dropped. Blaine was standing behind him, wearing a leather jacket. His curls were held down by gel. He was wearing a black shirt underneath the jacket, and tight blue jeans, but the one thing that stood out, besides Blaine being utterly hot obviously, was the golden bowtie he was wearing. Blaine looked like he had just stepped out of a movie from the sixties.

Kurt wasn't the only one who noticed either. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Melody quickly adjusted her clothes so that her boobs were more visible. For some unknown reason that he didn't understand, Kurt started to dislike this girl.

"Blaine! Suddenly my job is looking a lot better!" Melody winked flirtatious.

Blaine ignored her attempt at flirting. "Kurt is coming with me. We're taking my car."

Melody sighed and wrote it down. "Where to?"

"It's a secret."

"Be back before curfew, Blaine. I'm not covering for you again. I could lose my job."

"Weren't you complaining a few minutes ago about said job?"

Melody shrugged. "What can I say? I need the money."

Blaine shook his head. "We'll be back before curfew."

Blaine turned to Kurt with a warm smile. "Ready to go?" Kurt nodded. "Let's go. Bye, Melody."

"Bye Blaine. Nice to meet you, Kurt Hummel." Melody smiled. Before Kurt followed Blaine outside he heard Melody whisper "Damn, that ass!"

Kurt walked a few steps behind Blaine as that was the polite thing to do as a Sub. It showed respect and it also gave Kurt a moment to really take Blaine in. Blaine was so different in comparison to any Dom he had ever met. Kurt admired Blaine's clothes again and couldn't help but approve of the boy's choices. The old Kurt would have been ecstatic because he had always been into fashion since an early age, but the new Kurt didn't care. He just wanted to wear clothes that made him invisible. Seeing Blaine wearing clothes outside the required Dalton uniform made him think about how much he missed the old him.

Blaine pulled out his car keys and stopped in front of a car. It was a black '67 Impala. Again, Kurt's jaw dropped in shock. A black '67 Impala was a classic car. Kurt had only ever seen them in movies or pictures. He was tempted to take a photo with his phone. He was sure his dad would faint if he saw it. Burt was a mechanic and Kurt used to help him a lot in his shop, but this was something they had never come across.

Then something else hit him. Kurt could never afford a car like that even if he worked 18 hours a day at the garage. ' _Blaine is rich!_ '

Blaine looked at Kurt unsure. He was staring at the car for a number of minutes now without moving. He sighed. "I know. It's not much. My dad bought it for me when I turned 16."

Kurt let out a shaky breath. He stared at Blaine in disbelief. "N-not much? Blaine, this is a 67' Impala! It's a classic!"

Blaine smiled, his eyes twinkling. He was relieved and a little surprised Kurt knew about the brand of his car. Well, it was an iconic car, but still. He didn't expect Kurt to know anything about cars. "So, you like it?"

"Like it?" Kurt walked around the car, inspecting every angle. "I would kill to have a car like this."

"Am I in danger?" Blaine smirked.

"Not yet. Wait until I tell my dad you own a '67 Impala. Then you might need to run for your life." Kurt joked. He quickly stopped, realizing what he had just said. He had threatened a Dom and he was all alone.

Blaine was laughing though and it was the best sound Kurt had ever heard. Blaine opened the door, happy that Kurt seemed so much more relaxed than he had been previously. "Maybe I can bribe you over dinner so that you won't tell your dad anything?"

Kurt's lips twitch. "Maybe." And he hopped in the passenger's seat.

Blaine started the engine and put the car in reverse. Soon they were on the road. "So, do you know a lot about cars or is this the only brand you know?"

"My dad is a mechanic. He has his own garage and I used to help him during weekends and holidays."

"Really? So you can fix a car?" Blaine looked impressed.

Kurt shrugged, staring at his hands shyly. "It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal. I can't even change a tire." Blaine admitted sheepishly. He leaned over to turn up the volume on the radio when he heard one of his favorite songs. "This is one of the greatest songs ever!" He glanced at Kurt and it was obvious that the boy had never heard the song before.

"Do you sing, Kurt?" He saw the body next to him tense and Kurt's skin turned paler than it had been a moment before. Blaine immediately regretted the question. How innocent the question seemed to be and yet it was obvious that it made Kurt so uncomfortable. There was obviously a past there.

"N-no. I don't sing." Kurt stared out of the window, refusing to meet Blaine's eyes.

"Oh. Okay." Blaine wished he had kept his mouth shut. Everything had been going great. Kurt was opening up to him a bit and even seemed to relax around him, but then Blaine had to open his big mouth. Blaine tried to ease back into easy conversation. "It's a shame though. The Warblers are still looking for new members. You wouldn't necessarily have to sing. You could be in the background and sway to the music..." He glanced at Kurt, but the boy was still refusing to meet his gaze. "…or not."

Ten minutes later, Blaine parked the car in front of a busy restaurant. He turned off the engine. "We're here." He stepped out of the car and Kurt followed.

"You never told me where we were going." Kurt stared nervously at the busy restaurant. Men were wearing suits and the women were wearing dresses. Kurt was completely aware of how out of place he was, still wearing his Dalton uniform and his hair looked beyond awful. He looked a complete mess. "I... I don't think I'm allowed to go in there."

Blaine stared at him confused for a moment before he realized what Kurt was thinking. "Oh no! We're not going in there. It's around the back. Come on. I'm starving." Blaine reached for Kurt's hand and was relieved when the boy didn't pull back. "Why do you think you wouldn't be allowed in there?"

Kurt shrugged. "I'm not wearing a suit and I probably can't afford the food."

Blaine fought down the urge to drag Kurt into that restaurant and demand a table. Kurt was better than all of the people in that restaurant, but Kurt was probably right. Le Voice was the most expensive restaurant in Westerville. His father used to drag the Anderson family to Le Voice at least once a month, just to show off how rich they were. Another reason why he hated his dad so much. Blaine didn't care about money. He glanced at Kurt. "Just so you know, you're much better than the people inside that restaurant."

"You don't even know me," Kurt whispered. He stopped when he saw a small diner painted in the brightest colors he had ever seen. In yellow, red, blue, purple and pink bright letters was written "Rosa's Diner." He could smell the food and his stomach grumbled loudly.

"I know. Aunt Rosa loves colors." Blaine laughed when he saw Kurt's stunned expression. He opened the door and held it for Kurt. Kurt looked around the small diner. The chairs were big and green and the tables were green as well. The bar was pink. Kurt had never been surrounded by so many colors that just didn't coincide with each other. "And she doesn't care that it doesn't match either." Blaine walked to the empty bar. "Aunt Rosa! Uncle Robert! Your favorite nephew is here and starving!"

A back door opened and a tall, beautiful woman emerged. She was wearing a multicolored floral print dress and a purple necklace that clashed with the colors of her dress. She had long, black curly hair and a bright smile on her face. "Blaine!" She gave Blaine a tight hug, and then looked at Kurt. "Hi, I'm Rosa." She exchanged her hand and Kurt politely shook it, mumbling his name. Rosa guided them to a table. Kurt sat down and Rosa leans closer to Blaine. "He's gorgeous, Blaine! Better looking than the last one you brought with you!"

"Don't let Wes hear you say that. He'll probably throw a fit." Blaine smirked.

Rosa shrugged, handing them the menu. "Just stating the truth."

"Where is uncle Robert?"

"In the kitchen. It's so busy." Rosa said. Kurt looked around the diner and there were only three other couples besides them. "Have you already made your choice?"

Kurt glanced at the menu. There were so many choices, and he didn't know what any of them were like. He hadn't been allowed to eat in a restaurant, let alone chose what he wanted to eat, for almost a year. He had learned he needed permission from his Dom to eat anything.

"Anything to drink?" Rosa asked, friendly.

Kurt looked at the list of drinks and saw different kinds of coffee, tea, sodas and alcohol. He had no idea what to chose. What was he allowed to drink? He quickly glanced at Blaine, who had his eyes firmly on his own menu. Until now, Blaine has been nothing but kind and friendly, but Kurt knew better than to fall into another trap. _'Dom's can't be trusted.'_ He had no idea what might tick Blaine off and turn him into a monster and that made him nervous.

"Um... tea?" That sounded like the safest choice.

"Sure honey." Rosa wrote it down. "Anything to eat?"

"I'll take the cheeseburger with Cesar salad and a coke!" Blaine interrupted.

Rosa scowled at him. "Blaine Devon Anderson, your friend was first. Don't be rude and apologize!"

"I'm 18, Aunt Rosa. Not six!" Blaine sighed. "Stop embarrassing me in front of my friends!"

He glanced at Kurt who looked at him with a amused smile on his face. Blaine could feel his cheeks burning up. He wanted to show Kurt how nice his family was and just make Kurt feel more welcome in Westerville. He didn't want to be scolded like a child. Still he had to admit it was rude to interrupt. "I'm sorry, Kurt. When I'm hungry I get impatient."

"It's okay." Kurt nodded.

"That's my boy." Rosa squeezed Blaine's cheeks. Blaine groans in embarrassment his cheeks turned an even brighter shade of pink. He quickly hid his face in his hands. Kurt thought it was adorable.

"Anything to eat?"

"Um..." Kurt had no idea what to choose.

"I recommend the cheeseburger and Cesar Salad. It's delicious!" Blaine was practical drooling at the thought of food.

"Okay. I'll take the same thing as Blaine."

Rosa cooed. "Aren't you two a cute couple?" She walked away with the order and they could hear her talking loudly. "Hey Robert, our little nephew has brought a friend. You have to meet him. They're too cute together!" And then the door closed completely.

Blaine already regretted inviting Kurt to dinner. He should've known that Rosa would act like this. A few moments later, Rosa came back with their drinks and food. "Enjoy, boys!" And with a bright smile, she left them alone.

"She seems nice." Kurt commented, while Blaine attacked his food.

"She's amazing." Blaine said. "She and Uncle Robert practical raised me. Aunt Rosa has been running this dinner for a couple years now and the food is delicious." He had noticed that Kurt hadn't touched his food yet. Whoever had made Kurt so scared that he didn't even dare to eat something as simple as a cheeseburger, should burn in hell, but Blaine couldn't change Kurt's past. All he could do is be there for Kurt in the future and make sure he takes care of himself. "You should try it."

Kurt took a small bit and Blaine was right. The food was delicious. The next few minutes passed in silence as they ate. Blaine was obliviously eating his cheeseburger, while Kurt took smaller bites of his, glancing at Blaine every now and then to make sure he still had permission to eat. Blaine never looked up from his food though, so Kurt assumed it was fine.

Rosa walked around, chatting happily with the customers, her laughter often filling the diner. She glanced back at the boys every now and then, making sure they were okay. She could tell that Kurt looked uncomfortable, but she didn't want to bother them. The boys didn't need anything, so she left them to their devices, telling herself to talk to her husband about the two when she had a moment.

Blaine finally looked at Kurt and smiled around a bite of Salad. "So, do you like it here?"

Kurt nodded. "Thank you for inviting me along."

"I told you the food is great." Blaine smiled brightly. "So, Kurt Hummel, tell me something about yourself?"

Kurt bit his lip. He didn't know what Blaine expected from him. He was a Sub, came from Lima Ohio, and now he was in Westerville joining Dalton. There was nothing special about him. "I don't know what to say. There is nothing interesting about me."

Blaine chuckled. Kurt perked up at the sound. Hearing Blaine laugh or chuckle was truly the best sound in the world. "Oh, come on. Give me something. You're the new guy here and lots of people find you interesting." ' _And the most beautiful Sub I've ever seen,'_ Blaine thought, quickly looking down at his coke. Kurt's eyes were really captivating and if he kept staring at him, it would be creepy and freak Kurt out. That was the last thing he wanted.

Kurt really didn't understand why anybody wanted to know things about him. "Well, I am born and raised in Lima Ohio. I live with my dad. I went to Mckinley High till I was about 16..." He stopped, memories flooding in from the first time he met the man who ruined his life, two weeks before he turned sixteen.

Blaine noticed the change and quickly changed the topic. "Did you like school? Do you still see your friends?"

Kurt shrugged. He remembered the taunts and the bullying, but also his friends. Well, one true friend, Mercedes Jones. He hadn't spoken to her in a year, since he moved in with his Dom. He wasn't allowed to make contact with anyone, not even his dad. He wondered if Mercedes ever thought of him, what happened to him, if she even cared about him. He shook his head. _'Mercedes probably didn't even remember me anymore'._

"It was okay. I could keep up with the classes and the people were okay I guess. It's just my dad and me now."

"So, you two are close?"

Kurt nodded. "He's the best dad ever. Without him, I don't think I would be where I am today."

Blaine smiled sadly at that. "That's great. I'd love to meet him someday."

Kurt smiled. "And your family?"

"Not so great," Blaine admitted.

"What? But your father gave you a car, and not just any car, but a '67 Impala!"

"Do you want to know why my dad gave me a car when I had just turned sixteen and had just received my driver license?" Blaine asked. Kurt nodded and he continued. "My dad isn't like yours. He doesn't care about me or my older brother. All he cares about is money and status. Do you know Anderson & Son, the law firm?" Kurt shook his head. Blaine smiled bitterly. "My dad owns a law firm and he's the best in the state. He's a shark and walks over dead bodies to win cases. My dad gave me a car for my sixteenth birthday and I couldn't be happier. Do you want to know what he said when he gave it to me?" Kurt only stared at him. "He said: 'Son, happy birthday. Now you owe me something.' He's practically giving me things so that he can blackmail me later. He wants me to join his law firm. When I graduate, I'm going to be forced to go to law school and after graduation, he expects me to join him and my brother." He clenched his fists in anger. "And don't even get me started about when I came out to my parents and my brother. My dad looked so angry. I thought he was going to kill me right then and there."

Kurt stared at Blaine in disbelief. Of course he had secretly hoped that Blaine was gay, but he wasn't sure, and it wasn't polite to just ask it.

"What? Wasn't it obvious?" Blaine joked, halfheartedly pointing at his golden bowtie.

Kurt saw right through his evasive tactic and gently reached over to take Blaine's hand in his. He knew how it felt to be hurt by the one person that was supposed to care for you and love you unconditionally. "And your mother?"

Blaine stared at their hands. "She's too scared to stand up to my dad. Even though her kids are suffering, she follows his orders."

"That's terrible."

"That's my dad. Luckily, he isn't home a lot and Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert took me in."

Kurt realized then that he was still holding Blaine's hand and he quickly removed them and took a sip of his tea. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought that Blaine looked disappointed. "And what do _you_ want to do after school?"

Blaine looked up in surprise. Nobody had ever asked him what _he_ wanted. Everybody _assumed_ that he would just join his father's company. It was expected. "I love music. I love to sing and to make people happy through music. I want to go to New York, to NYADA and write and play my own music. I don't care if I become famous. If I just make one person happy, my goal will be accomplished."

Kurt stared at him in shock because Blaine's dreams were the same as his had been a long time ago. He used to dream about going to New York, getting into NYADA and performing on Broadway. ' _This can't be. We share the same dreams. That_ _used to be my dream_ _too._ '

Blaine sighed, taking a sip of his coke. "Who am I kidding? My father would never let me go to New York. He'd drag me back, put me in law school and probably lock me up until I've graduated."

Kurt bit his lip. His own dreams would always stay dreams because he knew that without a Dom, he would never reach New York or Broadway. He needed someone strong to protect him. ' _But who wants_ _an_ _abused, used Sub?'_ He could make peace with the fact that nobody wanted him, that he wasn't worthy, but he couldn't live with the fact that Blaine already gave up without even trying. "Don't give up, Blaine. If you really want it, you should go for it. Don't let your dad destroy your future."

' _If_ _you only_ _knew my dad,'_ Blaine thought bitterly, but he put on a smile and said "I will. So, what about your dreams?"

Kurt shrugged. He didn't have any. "I don't know yet."

"Really? No future plans?" Blaine asked.

Kurt fumbled nervously with his fingers. "I don't know what or how my future looks like. It's not like I can go out there and do something. I need a Dom. I need permission." ' _Following_ _orders all day. That's all I'm good for.'_

"Permission?" Blaine asked confused. "For what? Kurt, you're your own person. You can do what you want. For example, Aunt Rosa really wanted to start a diner. Was it a smart thing to do with the economy at the moment? No, but she did it anyway because she's a born cook and she loves to help people. Not even Uncle Robert could stop her. He encouraged her instead, supported her and look at this place. Uncle Robert even quit his job to help Aunt Rosa out full time."

Kurt's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what Blaine was saying. There was no way that a Dom would help their Sub to make their dream come true. All Kurt was used to was following commands and taking punishments if he wasn't fast enough or didn't do things right. He remembered the beatings vividly and began to shake. He couldn't even count how many times he was beaten up. A gentle warm hand on his own pulled him out of his nightmare and Kurt stared right into those warm, hazel brown eyes.

"You okay? I'm sorry if I said anything wrong." All Blaine wanted was to take Kurt in his arms, calm him down and reassure him that everything was going to be okay, but that wouldn't help Kurt at all. The only thing that would help is to show Kurt that most Dom's wanted to spoil their Subs and make them happy.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Kurt stared at their hands. "I... It's just hard to believe that."

"What? That Dom's can be nice?" Blaine pouted, dramatically touching his heart. "That hurts."

Kurt's lips twitched up a little bit. "Yes. I thought you were the only exception." He looked up shyly.

"I can assure you that I'm not the only one." Blaine said softly. "You've been avoiding Dom's all day right?" Kurt nodded. "I'm flattered that you still wanted to come to dinner with me then. Dalton is filled with Dom's like me. They would never hurt an unclaimed Sub. They live firmly by rules. I don't know what happened to you, but I want to introduce you to a couple of friends of mine and show you what a relationship between a Sub and Dom is really about. The first rule is trust. The whole relationship is based on that. It's the Dom's job to make the Sub feel safe and loved." He took a deep breath. "Do you trust me, Kurt?"

Kurt studied Blaine for a moment, taking in all of the new information. From the moment he had first met Blaine, he knew that the Dom was different than the Dom's he had met before. Blaine had been honest from the beginning. He held nothing back. He was like an open book. Kurt didn't trust anybody besides his dad, but something told him that putting a little bit of trust in Blaine was a good thing. He nodded. "I trust you."

Blaine smiled brightly. "Thank you. So, is it okay if I pick you up for breakfast tomorrow at Dalton and introduce you to some of my friends?" Kurt looked a little unsure, but nodded eventually. "Don't worry. They're really nice. Maybe a little weird, but they're okay." Blaine hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should warn Kurt about Jeff's lively personality. He decided that the Sub should be prepared. "And then there's Jeff, of course."

"Jeffrey Sterling?"

Blaine looked up surprised. "Yeah. You know him?"

"I met him today during Sub classes. I like him."

Blaine frowned. "Wait. You met Jeff and you like him and survived his…Well, he's kind of like a..."

"Bolt of lightning?" Kurt smiled. Blaine nodded. "He pretended to be dead in the first class."

"Sounds like Jeff." Blaine laughs. "If you can survive Jeff on your first day then the rest is like a walk in the park. Trust me."

"I do."

Their eyes locked. Suddenly, Blaine was aware that they were still holding hands and Kurt didn't feel uncomfortable at all. He stared at Kurt's pink lips and leaned closer on instinct. He would give up everything to taste those lips for just a moment. His heart was racing. All he could see were Kurt's lips.

"You are right, my love, they _are_ adorable together!" A booming male voice rang through the restaurant.

Kurt and Blaine quickly pulled away. Blaine almost fell out of his chair in the process. He glared at his aunt and uncle who smiled innocently at him.

"Something wrong, nephew? You look a little bit red." Uncle Robert teased. Of course that didn't help at all and Blaine's face turned even redder. Uncle Robert shook Kurt's hand and introduced himself. Kurt looked a little bit intimidated by the Dom and Blaine couldn't blame him. Uncle Robert was as tall as a giant, with a black beard he obviously never shaved and dark eyes, but Robert Anderson was nothing like his money obsessed brother. He had a heart of gold. "I already like your influence on our nephew, Kurt."

Aunt Rosa giggled sweetly. "Red is _definitely_ your color, Blaine Anderson."

Blaine stood abruptly, wanting to end the embarrassment. "Okay. Let's go, Kurt. It's almost past curfew and I don't want to get you into trouble."

"Um, what about payment? We still need to pay for the food..." Kurt trailed off.

"Oh, honey!" exclaimed Aunt Rosa. "Don't worry about that! Blaine's friends eat free!"

Kurt looked hesitant and turned to look at Blaine. Blaine shook his head and Kurt let it go. He stood up, thanked Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert for the food and led the way outside. Before Blaine followed, he turned around and scowled at his aunt and uncle.

"You're welcome, Blaine." Uncle Robert spoke as if he had done his nephew a favor. "You know, Kurt doesn't look ready for any kind of romantic relationship. I'm sorry I interrupted your moment, but it's quite obvious that the time isn't right." Robert had quickly seen what his wife had seen and he knew something had to be said.

Blaine sighed, knowing his uncle was right, like he always was. "I know it isn't. Thank you, Uncle Robert. I just...He's so beautiful."

"So you really like him?" Aunt Rosa asked excitedly. Blaine nodded. "Then you need to be patient. Kurt has obviously been through a lot. He looked so sad and uncomfortable. Start out as friends. That's how your Uncle and I started."

Uncle Robert wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and pulled her closer to his side. "It won't be an easy road, Blaine. It's quite clear the boy has been abused. There will be many bumps along the way. In times that it gets hard, you need to wonder if he is worth it."

"He is!" Blaine almost shouted. He was sure of it.

Uncle Robert and Aunt Rosa glanced at each other with a knowing smile. "Then go for it, but try to keep your teenage hormones in control."

Blaine glared. "I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself in check."

Uncle Robert scoffed. "I was a teenager once too, Blaine."

"Now go. He's waiting for you." Aunt Rosa glanced through the window. Blaine quickly gave them both a hug and he walked out of the diner. Rosa turned to her Dom. "Do you think we should tell Anton about Blaine's new situation?"

Uncle Robert's face darkened. "No."

"But..."

"Rosa, don't."

"We could tell Natasha?" Aunt Rosa tried again. "Blaine is her son. He might've found his Sub. That's the most important thing in a Dom's life."

Uncle Robert grabbed her hand. "If we tell her, Anton will know too. I understand why you'd want to do this, but please don't. You know how my brother is. He'll probably remove Blaine from Dalton because Kurt isn't from a rich family or some other dumb excuse." He wrapped his arms around his Sub. "Trust me on this. Nothing good would come out of involving my brother in this. Now, let's clean up, lock up and get home. It's already getting late."

Aunt Rosa nodded, hoping that her Dom made the right decision and started cleaning up.

Blaine walked Kurt back to his dorm room. Kurt put the key in his lock and turned to Blaine. "I had a great time, Blaine. Thank you again."

"No need to thank me. Thanks for putting up with my Aunt and Uncle. I can assure you, they usually act like adults."

Kurt giggled. "I like them."

There was an awkward silence. Both boys were thinking about how to say goodnight. ' _Was a hug too_ _much?'_ Blaine wondered.

"Lights out in ten minutes!" A voice yelled through the hallways. It was a night guard.

"Goodnight, Blaine." With a small smile Kurt opened his door.

"Goodnight, Kurt." Blaine replied and the door closed. ' _Would it be_ _weird_ _to wait here for Kurt until_ _morning?'_ Blaine shook his head. ' _Don't be so creepy, Anderson, what's wrong with you?'_ With that last thought, Blaine turned around and made his way to his own dorm room.

Kurt changed his clothes and laid on his bed. He was nervous about meeting Blaine's friends the next day, but it was also reassuring that whatever tomorrow would bring, Blaine would be there by his side.


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N:** **There are flashbacks throughout this chapter. Please pay attention to the dates otherwise this chapter will be really confusing. I have tried to stick with the original Glee timeline. Season 3 was aired in 2011/2012 and it was Kurt's senior year. The only difference is that Klaine are both in senior year in this story.**

 **Again a big thanks to my Beta EmeryFelton!**

 **May 13, 2010**

The sun was shining brightly and Kurt and his best friend Mercedes were enjoying the sunny day, sitting outside of Breadstix and eating ice-cream. "I can't wait until this year is over." Kurt sighed.

Mercedes smiled. "Same. I look forward to not hearing Rachel scream into a microphone, pretending to sing."

"She's a bitch, but even you have to admit that the girl can sing."

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with being a diva and being nice? Look at me, I'm both! When is it my time?"

"I know what you mean."

"You'll find your Dom, Kurt." Mercedes squeezed his hand in comfort.

"When?" Kurt swallowed. He tried to hang on to his best friend's words, but it was getting harder. He was turning 16 in two weeks. He desperately wanted to be taken care of; to be loved. He really wanted a Dom. He had been having these dreams for a couple of weeks now. He saw himself standing next to a strong Dom. Sadly in his dreams, his Dom's face was never visible.

Kurt just imagined that his Dom would have a smile that could light up the world, eyes that sparkled when he laughed and a nice voice. Unfortunately, his imagination was all he had to go on. He was the only openly gay teenager living in Lima Ohio, attending McKinley. Lima wasn't exactly open minded and he had been teased and bullied for years now. He would usually stand up for himself, but he was tired of fighting. He wanted someone else to stand up for him for once.

Of course he had Mercedes and the others in glee, but they were so busy with their own dramatic lives that they hardly noticed his struggle.

Mercedes squeezed his hand again. "Soon. I can feel it."

Kurt scoffed. "Since when are you a psychic?"

Mercedes quirked an eyebrow. "Since the really hot guy standing behind you has been staring at you for the past ten minutes." Kurt's eyes widened. Mercedes giggled.

Kurt turned his head and saw a tall, blond guy standing by the counter waiting for his order, while looking in his direction. Kurt guessed that the Dom was at least 20 years old, maybe older. Their eyes locked and Kurt felt himself drowning in those ice blue eyes. His heart was racing and his Sub side screamed at him to surrender himself to the Dom. Kurt quickly averted his eyes, staring at the ground, trying to calm his racing heart. He had never experienced such a strong pull to a Dom before.

"He's coming." Mercedes said.

"What?! Why?" Kurt asked in a panic. He had no idea what to do. His only interaction with other Dom's was with them teasing and bullying him. Mercedes shrugged, also not knowing what to do.

They both fell silent when a dark shadow loomed over the two fifteen-year-olds.

"Excuse me, but is this seat taken?" The Dom asked politely with a heavy English accent.

"Um, no. It's free." Kurt said, his eyes still downcast.

"Great!" The Dom smiled, sitting down next to Kurt. "I'm Adam Crawford."

He shook hands with both Kurt and Mercedes who quietly introduced themselves. He turned his attention on Kurt, who shifted nervously in his seat. "So, are you from here?"

"Yes, sir, we live here." Kurt answered.

"Just call me Adam, okay?" The Dom smiled at the cuteness of the boy. He had never seen a Sub so submissive and beautiful. He just had to have him. Kurt beamed at him and nodded.

Mercedes watched the two exchange a few words. She looked at Adam with a little suspicion. She had never seen him before and she knew pretty much everyone in Lima. It was obvious that Kurt was attracted to the stranger, so it was up to her to ask the questions. She twitched her fingers nervously. She hoped she wouldn't cross any boundaries.

"So, Adam..." The Dom turned his attention to her and she thought she saw a little annoyance at her presence, but when she blinked Adam was smiling at her. "... I've never seen you in Lima before. Are you visiting family or are you here for work?"

Adam chuckled. "Just visiting. My aunt is sick and I'm staying for a few weeks to take care of her. Poor woman. She has always cared for others, but now she's of an age where nobody cares for her." Kurt just stared at him in awe, amazed by the selflessness of The Dom.

Mercedes saw Kurt falling further and further under the Dom's spell, but she was not. "That's a long way from England." She saw Adam tense and immediately regretted it. "I mean, your accent sounds English. I don't mean to pry but..."

Kurt looked at his friend unsure, then turned his eyes on Adam who shrugged it off. "I am from England, Mercedes. Born and raised in London, but I've been living in the US for five years now. I'm studying at the university a few blocks away."

Mercedes opened her mouth to ask more, but felt a warning kick against her leg. Kurt glared at her and mouthed "Back off, Mercedes."

Adam was oblivious or pretended not to see the exchange. He turned his attention back to Kurt. "So, tell me something about yourself."

"Me?" Kurt swallowed.

Adam chuckled, leaning closer, completely pushing Mercedes out of the conversation. "When I saw you a few minutes ago, I just knew I had to get to know you better, Kurt. You are beautiful. You intrigue me."

Kurt soaked in all the lovely words and couldn't believe a handsome, older Dom like Adam would actually think him beautiful. "Well, I'm just a normal teenage boy. I love Broadway and fashion and, well, I hate school."

"School?" Adam asked.

Kurt nodded. "I go to McKinley High."

Adam's eyes widened. "McKinley High? Wait, how old are you?"

Kurt glanced unsure at Mercedes, but she shrugged. "Um, sixteen." Mercedes coughed. "Well, fifteen, but I'm turning sixteen in two weeks." He glared at Mercedes for betraying him.

Mercedes ignored his glare because a red truck arrived to pick them up. She knew it would be mean and Kurt would be angry at her for weeks for doing this, but she didn't trust Adam at all and this would only put the Dom off. At least she hoped. What 20 something year old would want to date a fifteen year old who wasn't allowed to drive and was still in high school? She was doing this for Kurt.

Mercedes stood up. "Your father is here to pick us up, Kurt. It's time to go." Kurt winced at her words. She quickly turned around and walked to the car.

Kurt stood up, feeling ashamed of himself and angry at his friend. How could Mercedes ruin his one shot at a Dom? It wasn't like gay Dom's who liked him were falling from the sky directly into his lap.

"Kurt! Wait!" Adam called after him. Kurt stopped in surprise. "I... I know this sounds absurd and yes, I am older than you, but I really want to get to know you better. Just as friends. I want to meet with you again. We'll just take things slow and we'll see how things go. Can I have your phone number so that I can call you?"

Kurt couldn't believe his luck and pulled his phone out of his pocket, handing it to Adam with a big goofy smile on his face. Adam gave him his phone in return and Kurt typed his number in it and gave it back. Burt honked his horn impatiently. Adam gave Kurt's phone back. "I'll call you soon, okay?"

"Okay." Kurt couldn't stop smiling.

"See you soon. Bye." And with one last blinding smile, Adam left.

Kurt skipped to the car and got into the back. Burt narrowed his eyes at his son. "Who was that?"

"Just someone."

"Isn't he too old? Is he a new teacher at your school?" Burt didn't stop the questions.

"Dad."

"What? Don't glare at me, son. Who was that stranger?"

"Someone I just met. Drop it."

"I won't drop it when I see my fifteen year old son talking to someone who looks at least thirty!" Burt said. Mercedes giggled, ignoring Kurt's death glare he sent her way. "I want the truth."

"Since when do I lie? I'm telling you the truth." Kurt looked at Mercedes with pleading eyes.

"He's right, Mr. Hummel. We just met him." Mercedes saved Kurt from further interrogation.

"He said he's staying a few weeks to care for a sick family member."

Burt finally started the engine. "Okay. Kurt, I won't like it if you keep contact with that Dom. He's older then you and he can take advantage of that."

"I'm almost sixteen, dad. I can take care of myself." Kurt hated when his dad acted like an overprotective bear.

"I know that." Burt glanced at his son through the rear mirror. "But there are a lot of bad people out there, Kurt. I don't want you to get hurt, so it's best to stay away from strangers. I know it's not easy being gay in Lima but you will find your Dom, Kurt."

"What if he's the one?"

Burt sighs, turning the car on the road. "He's not."

Kurt wanted to protest, but quickly closed his mouth when he saw Mercedes watching their argument curiously. He turned his eyes back on his phone, staring at the Dom's phone number. His dad was wrong. The Dom wasn't a stranger. His name was Adam and Kurt knew he had to see him again. Even if it meant that he had to lie to his dad.

 **September 15, 2011, Present Day**

Kurt woke up. He glanced at the alarm clock and realized he still had 10 minutes to go before his alarm would go off. He turned it off anyway and sat up. Kurt had to get ready before Blaine would be there to pick him up and meet his friends. He barely slept because of the nerves.

Kurt slowly got dressed. _'What if they don't like me? What if they hate the way I talk, walk or dress?'_ He looked at his Dalton uniform laying on a chair nearby. _'Don't be ridiculous. We're all wearing the same outfit.'_

He wrapped one of his scarves tightly around his neck and walked over to his mirror, making sure that nobody would be able to see the marks. Staring back at him was the reflection of a thin boy with dark circles under his eyes, flat hair and pale skin.

It took a moment for Kurt to recognize the boy in the mirror as himself. The light in his eyes had disappeared, his hair was deflated and dry, where it used to be perfectly coiffed and taken care of and the Dalton uniform didn't help him at all. He quickly turned away from the mirror and sat down quietly on the bed, waiting for Blaine.

Blaine woke up early to shower, shave and get ready. He texted Wes, Nick, Jeff and David to meet him in the music room. The music room was only used for Warbler practice, but Blaine thought it would be easier for Kurt to meet his friends there instead of the school's overcrowded cafeteria. Blaine bit his lip thinking about who else he should invite. He got along with everyone in The Warblers. He knew all of them would accept Kurt into their group immediately. ' _Maybe four Dom's and one Sub would be too intimidating to Kurt.'_

Blaine quickly texted Trent and Thad as well, sending them the same request. Trent and Thad were both unclaimed Sub's, still waiting for a Dom. Trent said he hadn't found the one yet and hoped he would meet him soon. Thad claimed that he didn't need a Dom and wanted to stay independent, but Blaine could see it in Thad's eyes how much he wanted to be loved, to be taken care of by a Dom.

They were both happy, easy-to-be around Subs and Blaine thought they would be perfect in making Kurt feel more relaxed and at ease

His phone buzzed and Blaine quickly opened the text messages.

Nick: **"Jeff and I are on our way. Meet you soon."**

David: **"I'll be there."**

Trent: **"No breakfast?"**

Thad: **"As long as I won't be late for my classes. I'll meet you there."**

Wes: __ **"Do I need to wear a suit?"**

Blaine rolled his eyes at Wes' text. He quickly texted Wes back. **"Just be there, Wes. I don't care what you wear."**

Blaine looked at himself one last time in the mirror. He was running late and he knew it, but he just wanted everything to be perfect. He checked his hair one last time before opening his door and making his way to Kurt's room. His heart was beating a little bit faster than normal. He knocked on the door and heard some shuffling noises behind the door.

"Who's there?" A soft voice spoke.

"It's me. Blaine."

The door opened and blue eyes peeked out nervously. When Kurt saw that it was really Blaine, he opened the door a little bit further, but not enough for Blaine to enter the boy's room which didn't go unnoticed by Blaine. He thought it could be because Kurt was nervous about meeting new people. Blaine tried not to think that it had something to do with him.

"Good morning, Kurt. Ready?"

The Sub nodded, squeezed though his doorway, and then locked it. Blaine noticed how tired the other boy looked. Dark circles were under his eyes as if he hadn't slept at all the night before. He was wearing his Dalton uniform with a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. He looked beyond nervous.

"Maybe... Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean, I don't want to bother your friends..." Kurt rambled.

"You're not a burden to us, Kurt. I invited you and my friends would love to meet you. Don't worry." Blaine reassured.

He led Kurt down the hall. "I asked my friends to meet us in the music room. It's quieter there. After that we'll go to the cafeteria. Okay?" Kurt nodded, looking at Blaine gratefully.

"Let's go. Trent won't be happy if he misses breakfast." Blaine reached for Kurt's hand and was happy that Kurt didn't pull back. Taking his hand gently, he walked him to the music room.

Wes walked into the music room with his phone in his hand, waiting for a text from Blaine. The lead singer had asked him to meet him in the music room before breakfast. That was odd in itself since Blaine never asked for anything. He frowned when he saw that Nick, Jeff, Trent, Thad and David were sitting in some of the chairs strewn around the room. "Did Blaine ask you to come too or did I miss someone's birthday and this is a trap?"

"Blaine asked us to meet him before breakfast." David said. "We had hoped that you could tell us more."

"Sadly, no." Wes sat down in his chair directly in the middle of the Council Head Table. The others glanced at each other. Even though this wasn't an official Warbler meeting and they all had no idea what was going on, Wes just loved to be in control and in this situation, sitting in his chair, close to his gavel which was hidden under the desk, was the only thing he had control over.

Trent sighed. "What are we doing here? Blaine has probably forgotten and is waiting for us at breakfast. I'm starving." He was about to get up, but a firm hand on his shoulder pushed him back down.

"We're staying!" Nick said. "Blaine never asks for anything, so it must be really important."

A silence filled the room. Everyone glanced at each other unsure, wondering what was so important. Thad was the first one who spoke up. "What if he has found a Sub?"

David snorted. "Yeah right!"

"What? It wouldn't be that weird!" Thad said defensively, wrapping his arms in front of his chest, challenging the Dom.

"With a normal person it wouldn't be, but with Blaine it would!" David said. "Blaine has never shown any interest in a Sub and we all know that Blaine is probably the most popular Dom with unclaimed Subs. He's nice and comes from a respectful family and from what I've heard, he's not bad looking either."

Jeff giggled. "Your gay is showing, David."

David growled. "Watch it, Sterling."

Nick pulled Jeff immediately closer to his side at the threat. He knew David was only joking and would never hurt his Sub, but his Dominant instincts were taking over and if David decided to make a move, he would kick his ass. Friend or not. No one touches Jeff. Period.

David backed off. He knew how Nick could get when he was around Jeff. The always calm and easy going Dom could turn into a real killer if someone touched or looked at his Sub the wrong way. He almost killed Wes last year during a snow ball fight during winter break, because the Dom hit Jeff with a snowball. David remembered the look on Nick's face and shivered. He never ever wanted to be on his bad side. He cleared his throat. "Okay. What else could it be?"

"Maybe he wants to quit The Warblers?" Trent guessed.

Wes' head snapped up at the small, timid Sub, his eyes wide and his breathing erratic. He loosened his tie to get more oxygen, but felt like he was choking. David quickly gave him his bottle of water and Wes took a long swig.

"Is he dying?" Trent asked, biting his lip in worry.

"Not sure yet." David said. All eyes were on Wes as he tried to get his breathing under control.

"Should we call in all Warblers and vote for a new leader?" Jeff quipped. "Or we can hide the body somewhere and pretend we weren't here."

Nick gave Jeff a kiss on the cheek. "He's not dead yet, honey. Besides we can't just leave and let Blaine discover the body."

"My baby is so smart." Jeff cooed, wrapping his arms around Nick's neck and gave his Dom a firm kiss on his lips. Nick quickly deepened the kiss.

Wes finally caught his breath, giving the couple a deadly stare. "Good to know that I'm so easy to replace. Honestly, how can you two make out when I'm dying over here?" Nick and Jeff shrugged at Wes not bothered by the angry outburst of the Dom at all. Wes turned his attention to Thad who flinched under his stare. "Never ever say that again." He took a deep breath, looking around the room. "Do you think he'll leave us?"

"Let's not jump to any conclusions and just wait for what Blaine has to say." Nick said, his face flushed from all the kissing.

Jeff beamed at his Dom. "My baby is so..."

"Stop it!" Wes snapped. "I'm not here to see you two make out all the time." He folded his arms in front of his chest. Jeff pouted.

Trent glanced at his watch. "Where is Blaine? He's late. We'll miss breakfast if he doesn't hurry up." His stomach was loudly protesting.

The door opened and Blaine entered the room except he wasn't alone. His hand was firmly linked with a Sub. "Morning, guys. I hope I'm not late?"

All heads turned to Blaine and the small Sub. Jeff smiled in recognition, Trent and Thad smiled kindly at Kurt, but looked a little bit confused. Wes and David were taking in Kurt's demeanor. He was slightly hunched over, the hand he was holding Blaine with was white as if he was squeezing hard and begging Blaine not to let go, his eyes were firmly on the floor, and he was hiding behind Blaine. It was obvious the Sub was doing everything to not be noticed.

"Not late? I'm starving, Blaine!" Trent snapped at his friend, then turned to Kurt with a smile. "Hi, Kurt. It's so good to see you again."

Blaine ignored Trent and his obsession with food and turned to the three Dom's who had never met Kurt. It was important that they accept Kurt and make him feel comfortable.

"Guys, this is Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is Wes Montgomery..." Wes stepped up, straightened his uniform and shook Kurt's free hand. "David Thompson..." David nodded kindly at Kurt. He didn't step up to shake his hand because he saw the terror on the Sub's face when Wes did so. "…and Nick Duvall."

Nick stayed seated and nodded at Kurt as well. His eyes locked on the scarf around Kurt's neck. "Is that McQueen?"

Kurt's eyes widened and his head shot up. "You know McQueen?"

Nick shrugged. "I just know a lot about fashion."

"My baby knows how to pick his clothes." Jeff said proudly. He pranced over to Kurt and pulled him into a firm hug. "Are you going to eat with us?"

Kurt hesitated, but Jeff looked at him with so much hope that he simply couldn't refuse.

"Yes." He glanced at the Dom's. "If that's okay with you, of course."

"Why wouldn't it be?" David asked, sincerely confused.

"It's fine with me." Wes said.

"I don't want to piss off Jeff, so it's okay with me too." Nick shrugged.

"Great, let's eat!" Trent jumped to his feet and led the way.

Jeff hooked his arm into Kurt's, while Nick was on the other side of Jeff. Normally the Dom would feel threatened by anyone who dared to touch Jeff, but seeing his Sub so happy made him at ease. Kurt was no threat.

Blaine followed behind with David walking next to him and Wes and Thad walked behind them. Blaine scowled at the hooked arms of Jeff and Kurt. He couldn't help but feel jealous. He wanted to be the one Kurt could rely on. He wanted to be the one who put that rare smile on Kurt's face, like the smile he was wearing now listening to Jeff's happy chatter.

David noticed Blaine's distress of course. "You okay there, Blaine?"

"Perfect." Blaine muttered, not taking his eyes off of Kurt.

"Kurt seems nice."

"He is."

"Any reason why you brought him to the music room to meet us instead of meeting us at breakfast?"

"He's new. I just wanted him to feel at ease with us. He doesn't know anyone."

"And how does he know you?" David asked. "He seems to trust you."

Blaine shrugged as casually as possible. His mind went back to last night when they ate dinner at Rosa's Diner. He couldn't stop thinking about it and he repressed the urge to giggle like a love-struck teenage girl. He wanted nothing more than to confess his feelings. He shook his head to clear his mind. _'Focus, Blaine. We're just friends. Remember what Uncle Robert said? Take it easy or you'll scare him away.'_ "I'm his floor supervisor. We met two days ago."

David hummed. "And?"

"And what?" Blaine was getting annoyed.

"You look like a love sick puppy." David grinned, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Blaine scoffed. "I'm just his friend."

"But you want more?" David guessed.

Blaine sighed. "It's not that easy, David."

David grinned, throwing his fist in the air. "So I'm right?!" Jeff, Kurt and Nick glanced behind them to look at him with curious expressions.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Maybe."

"This is amazing! I've never seen you show any interest in any Subs." David exclaimed. "So, when are you going to ask him out?"

"I'm not."

"What? Why not?"

"Like I said, it's complicated and it's none of your business."

"I'm an expert at love." David bragged.

"Yeah, right. How are things going with Angela Baxter?" Blaine asked and he saw his friend pause. "Have you finally asked her out after three years of talking?"

David blushed, glaring at Blaine. "You're no fun," he said and hastened his pace so he was walking next to Trent.

They entered the cafeteria and Blaine saw Kurt tense and stop. Jeff and Nick didn't notice and walked over to the buffet. Wes, David, Trent and Thad followed them.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked. Kurt nodded, but his body language said different. "Come on. Let's grab some biscuits before they're gone." He led Kurt to the food table, grabbed a plate and began to fill it. He saw Kurt glance at all the different kinds of food. He grabbed a few biscuits and he smiled when he saw Kurt doing the same. The Dom side of Blaine was pleased with that, but it also made him worried. He wondered if Kurt thought he wasn't allowed to choose his own food. He saw the same thing yesterday. "I like milk with my breakfast, but if you would rather like tea..."

"Oh no. I'll have the same thing as you, if that's okay?"

"Sure." Blaine nodded, pouring milk in both glasses and handing one to Kurt. After getting their food, Blaine led Kurt to the usual table where David, Wes, Thad, Trent, Jeff and Nick were already seated.

"Kurt come sit next to me!" Jeff pulled out a chair next to him. Kurt smiled shyly and sat down between Jeff and Thad. Blaine sat at the end of the table, not happy that he was so far away from Kurt. Jeff, Thad and Trent easily engaged Kurt in a conversation about the classes yesterday and Kurt relaxed a little. They were sincerely nice and it helped that he had met them yesterday.

Kurt glanced a few times Blaine's way, who was engaged in a conversation with Nick, Wes and David. He heard the word "The Warblers" and "performance" a few times, but he didn't want to pry too much. It was rude.

"So, Kurt, we know you're from Lima, Ohio. Do you have a loved one waiting for you there?" Thad asked, taking a bite of his cereal.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked confused. "I live with my dad. That's about it."

"That's not what he meant." Trent said. He looked a little bit unsure. "We were wondering if you have a Dom. If you're Bonded?"

Kurt paled and quickly shook his head. "N-no."

"That's okay. We're not either." Thad said quickly, trying to reassure the smaller boy. Kurt's eyes widened. He had thought that Thad was Bonded with Wes and Trent with David.

"Well, I am." Jeff said, sounding quite satisfied with himself. "Thad and Trent are single."

"And proudly so." Trent lifted his chin.

Thad scoffed. "Who needs a Dom anyway, right?" He winked.

"You don't know what you're missing out on." Jeff said. "Having someone there for you no matter what is the most amazing feeling in the world." Kurt swallowed, because he understood what Jeff meant. Once he had thought he had found someone who would love and support him no matter what.

 **May 18, 2010**

Kurt waited nervously, constantly checking his phone for any missed text messages. He was on time. It was 8:00pm on a Saturday and he was standing in front of the Le Produit Américain. He hadn't heard from Adam since they had first met, so when Adam texted him earlier that day saying that he just had to see him again that night, Kurt had been ecstatic. He had given up hope that Adam would ever call him and Mercedes had even told him that it was better this way. His dad hadn't said anything about it anymore, but Kurt knew that if he had told him that Adam had contacted him and wanted to meet him, his dad would forbid Kurt from going. In the end, Kurt faked that he was sick, walked up to his room and climbed through his window and took the bus to the Le Produit Américain.

 _'O god, I lied to my dad.'_ Kurt thought anxiously, fiddling with his phone. He had never lied to his dad before. They had become really close since his mom had passed. His dad was the only person that he really had left and Kurt felt terrible. Just when he was about to call his dad and confess what he had done, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned around and was face to face with Adam.

"Kurt, there you are." Adam smiled widely, giving Kurt a brief hug. Kurt inhaled the strong cologne from the Dom and coughed. "Let's go inside. I made reservations."

Soon they were sitting at a table, ordering their food.

"So, how's your aunt?" Kurt asked.

"She's doing better." Adam said. He placed his hand on Kurt's. "That's why I wanted to meet you actually."

Kurt chuckled. "You're searching for a nurse? Because I know nothing about caring for sick people."

Adam laughed. The waitress came with their drinks; for Adam, a glass of wine and for Kurt, Diet Coke. Adam waited until the waitress was gone before he continued. "My aunt doesn't need my help anymore. I'm leaving in a few weeks."

"Oh." Kurt's smile disappeared. He hoped to spend more time with the nice, handsome Dom, but if Adam was leaving for wherever it was he was living, he'd most likely never see him again.

"I know. I wish I could stay a little bit longer." Adam sighed sadly. "I really wanted to get to know you better, Kurt. I think... No, I know you'll make a great Sub to someone one day and... I was hoping that you would want to be my Sub actually."

Kurt's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. No one had ever shown interest in him and now a handsome, kind, older Dom came along and actually wanted him?

"W-what?"

"I know. I've only seen you once, but... I have this feeling, you know?" Adam rambled. "I have a feeling we're meant to be."

"But... I'm still in school. I'm only fifteen."

"Age is just a number." Adam waved it off. "Besides, you're turning sixteen in two weeks. We'll be doing nothing illegal. We'll wait until your birthday. That is if you want me to be your Dom and take care of you?"

Kurt wanted nothing more, but he hardly knew Adam. He was older. What if he got bored with an inexperienced Sub? Kurt bit his lip. "I would love to Adam, but... my dad. I don't think he'll agree."

Adam shrugged, sipping his wine. "So? Kurt, you are in control of your own life. You get to choose who you want. Not your dad. You are your own person. You'll be sixteen. It's time to make your own choices."

"You're right." Kurt nodded resolutely.

"So, does that mean that you want to accept me as your Dom?" Adam winked flirtatiously.

"Are you sure you can handle me, Mr. Crawford?" Kurt teased back. "I have a strong will and I don't let anyone walk all over me. I have my own dreams that I want to achieve."

Adam grinned. "I can be very persuasive and I always get what I want."

Kurt scoffed. "Me too."

"Looks like we're a perfect match in heaven." Adam laughed. Kurt smiled widely. "So, is that a yes?"

"It's a yes." Kurt nodded.

Adam gave Kurt's hand a squeeze and leaned back. "Good. I'll ask the counsel for a contract and we can sign it on your birthday. Would you like to travel the world? Visit Paris?"

Kurt swallowed, somewhat confused. "Really?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Um, because I still have school for a month?" Kurt pointed out.

Adam shrugged his shoulders, once again seeming uncaring. "So?"

Kurt sputtered. "Well, I can't just leave! I have to finish this year, and after that I still have two years to go."

"No you don't. Not anymore."

"What?" Kurt stared at Adam in disbelief.

"I'm not letting you attend school in this hell hole anymore." Adam said. "Kurt, I see how unhappy you are here. I want to take you far, far away from here. Let me show you the world."

That still didn't answer Kurt's question though. "...But what about school?"

"I'll hire the best teacher and you can get home schooled. In our home."

Getting homeschooled sounded really lonely to Kurt.

The food arrived then and Kurt looked at his hamburger, salad and potatoes with a satisfied grin.

"Are you going to eat all of that?" Adam asked, sounding astounded.

Kurt frowned, staring at Adam's plate full of fries. "What do you mean? Your plate has a giant helping of fries on it."

Adam shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe you should start watching what you eat a bit, that's all."

Kurt glared. "There is nothing wrong with my weight. My friends even say I'm too skinny."

"Kurt, honey, they're your friends. They just want to be nice. I'm your Dom now and my job is to watch out for you. To take care of you. Isn't that what you want?" Adam asked sweetly, reaching out to grab Kurt's hand.

"Don't be ridiculous." Kurt ignored the hand and picked up his burger. Taking a bite, he chewed and swallowed before saying "I eat what I want." He took another bite and didn't notice the annoyed look on Adam's face. He didn't like being disobeyed.

Kurt had other things on his mind. He had no idea how to explain all of this to his dad.

 **Present day, September 21, 2011**

Kurt shook his head to shake off the memory. Nobody seemed to notice though.

"Subs can be perfectly happy without a Dom, Jeff." Trent stated matter-of-factly.

"I know, but I don't want to think of a life without Nick." Jeff said. "Don't you ever want to fall in love? Have that feeling that someone cares about you, loves you and supports you?"

Trent and Thad looked at each other. They hadn't met a Dom they wanted to share their lives with and were perfectly fine with their lives as they are now. But...the way Jeff spoke about being with a Dom, it was something they never experienced and they both wanted it.

Kurt swallowed, because despite everything that had happened to him, deep in his heart he craved for that too. He wanted to be loved, but he knew it wouldn't happen, couldn't happen. He didn't think his heart could handle it again, him giving himself to another human being completely.

The school bell rang and everyone got up to attend their classes. Blaine walked over to Kurt.

"What class do you have now? I'll walk you there."

"English." Kurt glanced at his schedule. "Room 236."

Blaine's face lit up. "I have the same! Let's go."

It turned out that Kurt had classes with Blaine most of that day and he didn't mind it at all. Blaine sat next to him and told him about their teachers. Kurt noticed a few Subs giving him glares when Blaine would reach out and touch his arm or hand. Blaine seemed oblivious and did everything he could to make Kurt feel welcome.

And Kurt did. During the day, Kurt truly felt safe and relaxed. He also had a few classes with Trent and Thad who introduced him to other Subs. They had all been kind and polite to him.

Blaine had kept an eye on Kurt throughout the day, noticing that the younger boy was obviously more at ease with Subs than with Doms, so he stepped back a little to let Kurt make friends. Blaine said goodbye to Kurt before their last class of the day. He had history and Kurt had chemistry. Kurt was sad to see Blaine go and looked at the group of boys surrounding him that he had chemistry with. He didn't know anyone.

"Kurt!"

Kurt turned around to see Jeff and Nick walking towards them, their hands firmly linked. Jeff gave Kurt a hug, but didn't let go of Nick's hand. "Chemistry, huh?" Kurt nodded, immediately loosening up once he realized Jeff would be in his class as well.

"Guess what?" Jeff smiled brightly. "Nick is taking me to Paris next summer!" He clapped happily, his eyes shining brightly. "I've always wanted to go to Paris and Nick promised me. Isn't that great?" Jeff was bouncing on his feet in happiness.

Nick looked at his Sub with a fond smile. "Anything for you, my love." He wrapped his arms around Jeff's waist and pulled him close to his body.

Kurt watched the exchange between the two. He wanted to scream, yell, warn Jeff that Nick was lying, that he was just making promises to gain his trust. After all, that's what happened to Kurt, but he bit his tongue when he saw the love on Nick's face for the blond Sub. He looked completely smitten for the boy...and they weren't the only couple who acted this way either.

Throughout the day, Kurt had seen Bonded couples act like they were in love. Each Dom treated their Sub like they were the most important thing in their lives. The Doms would carry their bags, books or even bring them food during lunch while the Subs relaxed and interacted with friends.

It was hard to see so much dedication for Kurt because he had never had that, and he wanted that more than anything. Now it was too late. He was tainted, broken and unworthy. He'd already proven to one Dom that he was a bad Sub, a worthless Sub.

He could never give himself completely to anyone ever again because Adam had broken his trust and took away his innocence. He was broken beyond repair. He never wanted to suffer at the hands of a Dom again.

But still, seeing Nick and Jeff so in love? It made him wish he had another chance. Thanks to Blaine, Kurt now knows that there are nice Doms out there. He just wished he had met Blaine sooner and he wished he had never met Adam.

Kurt's thoughts were interrupted once the teacher came and opened the door, welcoming her students into the classroom. Kurt sat down at a desk in the back and was silent throughout the lesson, despite Jeff's attempt to make him smile.

After class, Jeff dragged Kurt along to the main entrance. "Come on! You have to see this!"

"See what? Jeff, I don't think my arm is going to survive if you keep pulling me." Kurt said.

"Sorry." Jeff let go, but still urged Kurt to move along. "You just have to see this."

The main entrance was filled with students. It looked like everyone was there. Jeff pushed through the crowd and stopped when they were in the front. Kurt looked around, unsure. They had lost Nick. "Jeff, where is Nick? What's going on?"

Jeff shushed him, keeping his eyes on the doors.

Suddenly, the doors opened and a group of boys walked in humming a tune. Kurt's eyes widened when he recognized Wes, David, Nick, Trent, Thad and Sebastian among them. They formed a half circle, then Blaine stepped forward, beginning to sing.

Kurt didn't know the song, but he didn't care about the lyrics at all. Blaine had to have the most beautiful voice Kurt had ever heard. _'Rachel Berry would be so jealous.'_ Kurt thought, thinking about his former classmate, a small brunette girl with a big nose and an even bigger ego.

Jeff chuckled when he saw Kurt's expression. "Those, my friend, are The Warblers. Dalton's Glee Club." He stepped forward. "Excuse me, this is my part." And he walked over to Nick and started humming along.

Kurt's jaw dropped in shock. The Warblers were really good. Their voices fit perfectly together, but it was obvious that Blaine was their secret weapon. His voice was magnificent.

When the song ended, the crowd applauded and cheered loudly. Wes immediately pulled flyers out of his bag and started handing them out to the surrounding crowd.

Blaine walked over to Kurt. "So? Did you like it? I know I was a little off key but..."

"Like it? That was amazing, Blaine!" Kurt couldn't hide his excitement any longer. "You were amazing." He blushed.

"Thank you." Blaine looked at the ground shyly. The crowd began to disperse, the students going back to their rooms to relax a little bit before dinner.

"Why have you never won Nationals? With a voice like that…"

Blaine shrugged. "Let's just call it bad luck and ... David, of course." Kurt looked at him confused. "It's a long story. I have no idea if we'll even compete this year. We're two members short." He looked at Wes who was trying to force a Sub to take the flyer from his hand rather forcefully. "Wes does everything he can, but it doesn't look good. That's why Wes asked us to perform just now. Maybe our little show will have attracted some new members."

He glanced at Kurt who was still looking at him in admiration. He had never seen Kurt this excited about something. And he knew about Nationals! Nobody knew or was interested in school choir competitions unless they were in one themselves, or at least, had been in one. When Blaine had asked Kurt questions about singing the other day, it almost ruined everything, so he decided not to push even though he truly wanted to know Kurt's singing history. He wanted to win Kurt's trust. Not push him away.

Kurt walked back to his room, took a shower and got dressed. He wanted to be alone for a moment to rest. A lot had happened that day and he had to gather his thoughts. Once dinner time hit, Kurt got up from his bed and exited his dorm room, heading to the cafeteria despite not being very hungry.

Having heard the Warblers sing earlier and seeing them have so much fun had awakened an old passion inside of Kurt. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed singing and he used to sing all the time. In fact, he just loved music in general. He even taught himself how to play the piano. That was when Kurt decided he didn't need to go to the cafeteria. Instead he turned left, walking towards the music room.

It wasn't long before Kurt arrived. He stood in front of the door and heaved a breath before glancing both right and left, making sure the hall was empty. Seeing no one around, Kurt put his hand on the knob and twisted, quietly opening the door and peering inside. It was empty except for a piano and a few guitars. He closed the door behind him and glanced around one more.

Once he was absolutely sure he was alone, he walked up to the piano and sat down. He moved his fingers gently over the keys. Soon a soft melody was filling the room. Kurt let himself be drowned in the music. He started humming along and before he knew it, he was singing, not afraid of someone coming in and discovering him. Everyone was in the cafeteria eating, after all.

Blaine walked quickly down the hall. He was late for dinner. He'd stopped by at Kurt's room, but it appeared he had already left. Blaine turned left, taking the shorter way, praying that Jeff wasn't already seated next to Kurt. Then he heard the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard and he stopped dead in his tracks. The voice was high, clear and full of emotion.

 _'A countertenor!'_ Blaine thought and he hurried to the source of the voice. He had never heard a countertenor before. Wes would kill him if he let a countertenor slip through his fingers. He had to find the person and convince him to join The Warblers.

Blaine turned the corner and stopped in front of the music room. The person had stopped singing and Blaine quickly opened the door, hoping that he wasn't too late.

The door opened and Kurt almost fell off the piano bench. A stunned looking Sebastian stared at him. For a moment, no one said anything.

"Your name is Kurt, right?" Sebastian asked, still shocked. He'd heard the voice when he passed by and just had to know who sang so beautifully.

Kurt nodded, not daring to look at the other Sub, feeling ashamed of his voice.

"Your voice..." Sebastian began.

"I-I know... It's horrible... too high, too girly." Kurt rambled.

"But..." Sebastian stared at him confused.

They heard footsteps coming their way. Kurt's eyes glanced at the door before looking back at Sebastian.

"P-please don't tell anyone about this." Kurt quickly got to his feet and flew out of the room. Sebastian saw tears running down his cheeks as he ran past him. Then he was gone.

A few moments later Blaine walked in. He looked a little out of breath, as if he had run the whole way there. His eyes searched the room before they landed on Sebastian. "Sebastian? What are you doing here?"

For a moment he had no idea what to say or do. ' _Should I tell Blaine about what I just saw? It would help The Warblers a lot if Kurt joined the group. Hell, with his voice and talent we could actually win Nationals.'_

But he couldn't do that. Instead of telling the truth, Sebastian quirked an eyebrow, crossed his arms and put his cool face on. "Just practicing my voice, Anderson. Nothing wrong with that."

Blaine frowned. Sebastian never called him Anderson. He always called him Blaine. "I'm not stupid. You're not a countertenor."

The Sub tried his hardest to not shuffle nervously with his feet. Sebastian bit his lip. It was then that Blaine knew the other boy was covering for someone. "Don't lie, Sebastian. Who was here with you?"

"Like I said, I was practicing my voice." Sebastian replied, regaining his bitchy attitude. He wouldn't let himself get intimidated by a Dom. He held his nose high in the air. "Now, if you'll excuse me. My Dom is waiting for me." With that said, he stalked out of the room leaving Blaine alone.

After dinner and finishing his homework, Sebastian laid down on his bed. He was still thinking about what he should do. Not telling anyone felt like he was betraying The Warblers. He didn't have a lot of friends because of his big mouth and bitchy attitude, and the majority of the time he couldn't even stand being in the same room with most of The Warblers but still, they always accepted him.

But seeing the look on Kurt's face at being caught? It almost broke his heart. The Sub looked terrified and ashamed. _'If I had a voice like that, I would brag about it all the time. I would be proud to have such a beautiful gift.'_

Sebastian scoffed and turned on his side. He shouldn't care about someone he barely knows. He should just tell The Warblers about the countertenor and win Nationals. He had never cared about other people before. All he only ever cared about was Hunter. Hunter was the only one who was ever allowed to get through his carefully constructed walls, so why would Kurt be any different?

"What's wrong?" Hunter walked into their room and closed the door gently behind him. He saw that his Sub was deep in thought.

"Nothing." Sebastian mumbled.

Hunter sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Sebastian closer. "That isn't going to work with me. I know you, remember? So, tell me what's wrong so that I can solve it."

"It's about The Warblers." Sebastian said.

Hunter pulled back a little, but he didn't let Sebastian go. "We're still two members short to compete at Sectionals. Today, I heard someone singing in the music room. Someone so good we could win Nationals, but when I walked in he... panicked. He begged me not to tell anyone."

"And now you want to know what to do? To either tell The Warblers or not break that person's trust?" Hunter guessed.

Sebastian nodded and sighed in frustration. "I shouldn't even care about breaking anyone's trust. I barely know him, and The Warblers are like family." He froze in shock. He'd never said that out loud. He always thought the only family he needed was Hunter. Four years with the Warblers could change anyone.

Hunter pulled back and stood up. "If you hardly know him then this shouldn't weigh so hard on you, Sebastian. Choose your family or a stranger. Do what you feel is best."

Sebastian stared at him. Hearing Hunter talk like that, it sounded like he was asking him to choose between him and The Warblers. He quickly grabbed his hand before the Dom could turn around and walk away. "You know you're more important to me than The Warblers right? You're my everything. If you asked me to quit The Warblers, I would quit in a heartbeat and never look back."

Hunter looked at Sebastian's face and at their joined hands. It was tempting to say that he had to quit The Warblers. It would solve a lot of their issues and they could spent more time together, but Hunter couldn't do that. Sebastian would maybe never admit it out loud, but he _loved_ singing, just as much as Hunter loved to play Football. He would never ask Sebastian to stop doing something he loved. That was just cruel.

He sighed, pulling Sebastian into his arms and holding him close. "I would never ask that of you. I want you to be happy."

Sebastian sighed happily, leaning into the hug. "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too."

Hunter closed the gap between them and let their lips briefly touch before leading Sebastian over to the couch. "As for your dilemma, I think you already know what to do."

Sebastian nodded, looking at their joined hands. He wouldn't tell anyone he had heard Kurt sing. The smaller Sub's terrified face was enough to haunt him for months. If Sebastian actually said something to his fellow Warbler's, there was no telling what horrible fate would fall upon him. As for the Warblers, they would manage without the countertenor... somehow.

"I just hope I make the right choice."

"Of course you will." Hunter turned on the TV. "A movie?"

"Put on a horror movie. I'm done being nice for today."

"That's my boy. I thought you were going soft." Hunter teased.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Never."

Hunter did as he was told and put on a horror movie. He wrapped his arms around Sebastian and they cuddled close together. Sebastian leaned into the warm embrace and before the movie ended, he was fast asleep feeling safe, content and completely happy.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: Big thanks to my beta EmeryFelton!**

 **Hope you like the new chapter, let me know by leaving a review.**

Trent had been staring at the message board for awhile now. There were three new names on the Warblers audition list, so he knew that Wes would be happy about that, but the Warbler list wasn't what had caught his attention. It was the flyer next to it which announced a cooking competition between three other schools. There would be six teams of two people. The prize was...

Trent's eyes widened when he read what the prize was. A dinner for two at Le Voice, the best restaurant in Westerville! Trent had never been able to afford to eat there. His parents weren't rich like most of his other classmate's parents. They were honest, hard working people who had used all of their savings to get Trent into Dalton once they had realized that Trent was being bullied at school. Not to say that his friend's parents weren't hard working. They were just lucky enough to be born in to money. Nevertheless, he just _had_ to win this.

Trent had always been good at cooking and baking. He'd won a number of cooking competitions a few years back, but the only problem was that this competition was for teams of _two_ people. Normally he would ask Thad to be his partner, but the Sub was already stressing over exams. It wouldn't be fair to throw this at him too. Jeff wasn't an option either because he would most likely refuse doing anything that didn't have Nick attached to his lips 24/7. That only left Kurt. Kurt was new and was just getting used to Dalton, so Trent didn't want to bother him.

"Thinking about competing?" A familiar voice interrupted Trent's thoughts and sent shivers down his spine.

Trent clenched his fists, already knowing who was standing behind him. He slowly turned around to come face-to-face with a dark haired Dom with bright green eyes and tan skin. As always, Seth Philips was wearing an arrogant smile upon his face.

If there was anyone who ever existed that could tick Trent off, sweet and always calm _Trent_ , it was Seth Philips. Seth was a senior Dom and he and Trent had always had a really competitive relationship. Trent had joined a lot of clubs at Dalton over the past few years, clubs that Seth had joined as well, and Seth was always there to beat him at every opportunity, every leadership position, and every idea exchange.

During his first year at Dalton, Trent discovered cooking club and quickly signed up. It was then he met the arrogant Dom. Seth was also an incredible cook and won every single competition and he never held back in rubbing it in Trent's face. That's why Trent hated Seth with a passion.

"Maybe," Trent said noncommittally.

Seth nodded gently, humming. He walked past the Sub, over to the list and jotted his name down. "Me too. The only problem is that you have to have a partner if you want to compete."

Trent narrowed his eyes, already guessing where this conversation was going, but not understanding _why_. Seth always worked together with his best friend Zack.

"Since I don't have anyone," the Dom continued. "Why don't we compete together?"

Trent scoffed. "You're joking, right?"

"I'm dead serious." Seth said, straight faced.

Trent stared at him, dumfounded. " _You_ want to work with _me_? What about Zack?"

Seth shrugged. "Zack graduated last year. He moved to Switzerland and since you're the best… after me, obviously," he gave Trent a cocky smile. "You're my only option left." He sighed dramatically. "My life is so hard."

Trent rolled his eyes. _'Seth could be such a drama queen'._ "What's in it for me?"

"Trent, you're good, but together we could be brilliant." Seth said. "We'll beat everyone and win that dinner at Le Voice. Besides, this is an opportunity for you to actually work with a pro." He gave Trent another cocky grin.

Trent sighed and shook his head. He turned around to walk away when a firm hand gripped his arm, stopping him. Trent turned back to look right into the pleading, green eyes of his nemesis. "Oh come on, Trent," The other boy said. "It won't be so bad. I really want to win this. It's my senior year."

Trent continued staring at Seth, still a little put out that his enemy was actually asking him for help, in his own weird way. It wasn't until then that he realized exactly how green Seth's eyes were. They almost drew him to the Dom. Trent quickly shook his head to clear his mind. Seth did have a point. They could win this. "Okay, but I'll only do it so I can have dinner at Le Voice."

"Great!" For the first time ever, Trent sees a smile of sincerity upon Seth's face. The Dom clapped his hands together. "So, when shall we get together and practice?"

Trent quirked an eyebrow. "We can't exactly practice cooking, Seth. We'll just take the classes and wait for the first announcement of the competition before we compete."

Seth looked disappointed. "But…what about teamwork? We have to get to know each other in order to win. Our strengths…weaknesses…"

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Just don't get in my way." Trent crossed his arms, studying the Dom's face. _'First he wants to work together to win and now he wants to practice?'_

Seth's face hardened. "Fine. The class starts Tuesday. Don't be late." The Dom then turned around and stomped away, pushing his way through the students who were on their way to the cafeteria to eat breakfast.

It was then that David and Wes appeared in front of him. David glared at Seth's retreating form. "Are you okay? He didn't give you a hard time, did he?"

Trent shrugged. "No. He wants me to work with him during the cooking competition." He pulled out a pen from his bag and wrote his name next to Seth's.

"Why?" David asked, suspicious.

Trent sighed. "I'm the only one that I know of at this school who can truly cook and together we can win a dinner at Le Voice." David and Wes still didn't understand. Trent glared at his friends. "Not everyone is rich, you know? I've never been to Le Voice. I've read they have the best chef's in the State of Ohio."

"You don't have to work with that dick, Trent." Wes told him. He knew how much Trent hated Seth. "All you have to do is ask, and I can make reservations for Le Voice. We could go with all the Warblers."

Trent shook his head. His friends still didn't understand. It made him feel like an outsider when Wes or any of his other friends talked about inviting everyone to Le Voice. Le Voice was expensive and Trent knew that his parents would have to work overtime for at least six months to eat there. He didn't just want to eat at Le Voice. No. He wanted to _earn_ it. He'd learned to work for what he wanted. "Don't, Wes. I want to earn this. I want to be proud of myself. I don't want to go to Le Voice because I have rich friends."

Wes blinked in confusion. "It's just dinner, Trent."

"No, it's not!" Trent turned around and pushed himself through the crowd away from his friends.

Wes looked at David. "What just happened? Was it something I said?"

David shrugged half-heartedly. "I just woke up, Wes. Give me a break."

They entered the cafeteria and saw Blaine and Kurt already sitting at the table, leaning in close and talking. It was like they were in their own little world.

David smirked. "Do you want to make a bet? I bet five dollars that they are together by the end of next month."

Wes scoffed. "No thanks, David." They got in the line to get their breakfast. "I don't know what to think about this new development."

"What do you mean?" David frowned.

"I don't want Blaine to be distracted." Wes said. "He's our lead singer, David. This is our last chance at Nationals. If his mind is focused on anything other than singing, we'll lose."

"And by focused on anything, you mean...?"

"Kurt!" Jeff appeared behind David, who almost dropped his plate in surprise. As usual, Nick was by his side, carrying both he and his Sub's plates while Jeff filled them with food.

"I should hang a cat bell on you, Jeff. You almost gave me a heart attack." David glared, trying to calm his racing heart.

"You were listening into our conversation?" Wes guessed.

Jeff nodded and shrugged. "It's not my fault. You two aren't exactly quiet."

"We were whispering." Wes deadpanned.

Jeff shrugged again, smiling innocently. "So, I couldn't help hearing you two gossiping like two old ladies."

"We weren't..." David was cut off by Jeff.

"Never mind." Jeff picked up two apples and put them on the plates. "All I have to say is, Wes..." He turned to Wes. "How can you be so insensitive? It's a beautiful thing to fall in love and it's even better if it's Blaine falling in love. Haven't you noticed how lonely he's been all these years?"

Wes and David glanced at each other. No, they hadn't.

Jeff looked at them in disapproval. "And you call yourself a friend?"

"It's not our fault!" David defended himself. "Blaine is always smiling."

"...and singing." Wes added.

"You two are so lucky to have a friend who is a good observer." Jeff said.

"You mean Thad?" David teased.

Jeff scoffed. "Joke all you want, David, but this is a serious matter. Wes, stop being so obsessed with the Warblers. Let's show the world that you're not a robot and are an actual human being. Blaine's happiness is more important than any competition."

"But..." Wes glared.

Jeff waved his hand and Wes swallowed his words. "We have to support this, make Kurt feel more welcome, then they'll be together within two months."

"Want to bet?" David saw his chance. "Five dollars?"

Jeff smirked. "It's on for $500."

"Honey..." Nick tried to interrupt, but was hushed by Jeff.

"What do you say, Thompson?" Jeff challenged. "$500 or nothing."

"Deal." David shook Jeff's hand, completing the deal.

They were pulled apart by Eddie walking through with only an apple on his plate. The four friends looked at each other before looking back at Eddie. They all thought the boy was strange and had never exchanged more words then a polite 'Hello.'

Jeff was the first to break the silence. "Hi, Eddie. How are you this morning?"

Eddie turned around, looking at Jeff a little bit confused. "I'm fine, thank you." The four friends wanted to turn around and join Kurt and Blaine at their table, but were stopped by what Eddie said next: "You shouldn't make bets. It's illegal."

David shrugged. "It's just a joke, Eddie. No harm done."

Eddie shrugged, grabbing a cup of tea and walking past them. "In that case, December looks really beautiful this year. Have a nice day." And he was gone.

David's jaw dropped. "December?"

"What did he mean by that?" Jeff also looked dumfounded.

Nick shrugged. "He's odd, baby. Don't stress yourself over it. Let's join Kurt and Blaine before breakfast is over." He led the way through the tables and students. The other's followed him, still trying to understand Eddie.

Kurt was happy when he opened his door that morning to find Blaine waiting for him with a cheery smile lighting up his face. He had Sub classes that day just like Blaine had Dom classes. Because of this, he had expected Blaine to have gone ahead and joined his friends at breakfast, yet there he was, looking dapper as ever, picking him up so that they could eat breakfast together.

They ate together and Blaine chatted about his classes for that day. Then they were joined by the others and when the bell rang, Kurt and Jeff said goodbye and walked to their classes together.

Math, biology, and science class quickly followed and everyone was, as always, nice and easy going. Sebastian didn't even acknowledge his existence and didn't make any attempts to talk to Kurt. Kurt hadn't noticed Wes or any of the other Warblers treating him any differently, so he figured that Sebastian hadn't told anyone. He'd have to thank him later.

Still, Kurt couldn't relax because he knew he had gym class at the end of the day. It required wearing shorts and a t-shirt and Kurt was beyond nervous. _'What will they say if they see my scars and bruises? Will they ask questions? Will they demand answers?'_

Even Blaine couldn't help Kurt relax. The Sub remained tense throughout lunch. Blaine looked at Jeff, who shrugged his shoulders helplessly. The blonde Sub had also wondered what was going on with Kurt, but the boys didn't want to push Kurt for answers, too afraid they'd scare the Sub away.

It wasn't long before Jeff, Kurt, Thad and Trent were making their way to gym class. While everybody walked into the dressing room to get ready, Kurt could only stop in front of the door and stare at it.

Jeff turned around to look at his friend. Kurt's skin was pale and he was shaking. "You okay, Kurt?"

"I...I..." Kurt could feel his stomach turn at the idea of people looking at his body in disgust.

"Kurt Hummel?" A male voice called.

Kurt turned around. A tall man with an athletic build was standing in the doorway leading to the gym, holding a bag in his hands. Kurt swallowed. The man was...intimidating. "That's me."

The man walked over. "I'm Coach Young, Kurt. I'm your Gym teacher. Your dad emailed me your size, so I got your clothes for you. Here they are." He shoved the bag into Kurt's hands. "Be ready in five minutes and meet us at the field." That said, the coach walked back through the doorway he had just been standing in.

Kurt sighed in defeat. If he had wanted to make up some kind of excuse as to why he couldn't change into his gym clothes, that had been the moment in which to do so.

Kurt turned around and entered the dressing room. To his relief, everyone had already changed and was making their way to the field. When Kurt finally found a spot where he could change, he opened the bag and almost cried in relief. In the bag was a long sleeved t-shirt and pair of men's yoga pants. Nobody would be able to see his bruises or scars. He made a mental note to call his dad after class and thank him.

Sure, compared to the other Subs, he stuck out like a sore thumb, but nobody seemed to be paying attention to what he was wearing. No one was asking him why he was wearing more clothes than them. For the first time in his life, Kurt felt truly accepted.

"Okay, boys! Class is over! Hit the showers!" Coach Young yelled. Kurt had discovered that the Coach really liked to scream...a lot. According to Jeff, it was because he was still bitter that he was replaced by a new Coach this year to coach the football team.

Kurt froze in dread. The showers?

The coach called him back. "Hummel! Come here for a second." Kurt walked over. Coach Young handed him keys. "I've talked to your dad and he's told me everything." Kurt's eyes widened in panic. "Well, not everything." Coach Young added quickly. "We have private showers for the gym teachers. You have permission to use one of them. They're at the end of the hall."

"Um," said Kurt, taking the keys somewhat reluctantly, yet appreciatively. "Thank you, sir."

"No problem." Coach Young headed to the field exit.

Kurt followed behind. Upon reentering the building, he picked up a towel from one of the shelves in the hall. Once he had a towel in hand, he turned sharply to walk towards the gym teacher's showers, but he ended up walking into something big and landed with a loud thud on the floor. He groaned out in pain before he was grabbed by his collar and pushed against the wall. He stared into the face of an angry, tall Dom. He looked like one of his tormentors back when he was still at McKinley.

"Can't you watch where you're going?" The Dom snapped.

Kurt started to shake. Fear was taking over. He quickly opened his mouth to make his apologies so that he wouldn't get punished. "I...I'm... so sorry, sir. P-please don't hit me."

"Let him go, Ames!"

The Dom turned his head, but didn't let go of Kurt. Kurt saw Sebastian make his way over to them, his eyes ice cold. The Dom stared at Sebastian in surprise, and perhaps even in some audacity that a Sub was speaking to him in such a manner.

"Didn't you hear me? I said let him go." Sebastian snarled, shoving the Dom off of Kurt. He placed himself between Kurt and the Dom. Kurt slid to the ground, still shaking in sheer terror.

The Dom looked angrily at Sebastian. "Smythe!" He spat. He quickly glanced down the hallway to see if anyone was around, but there was nobody. "Looks like your Dom is nowhere to be found. Are you lost, Smythe?" He grabbed Sebastian by his collar and pinned him against the wall. "Not so brave now, are we? I'm so tired of your big mouth. Everybody seems to put up with it just because you're fucking the captain! I'm tired of that shit and I'm not going to put up with it anymore." He lifted his fist and aimed for Sebastian's face, but his fist never made impact.

The Dom fell to the ground as Hunter stood over him, clenching his hands into fists. His eyes were blazing with anger and Kurt could feel the rage pulsating off the other boy in waves. Not being able to do much more, Kurt began to curl himself into his corner, trying to make himself as small and safe as possible.

"What did you say about my Sub, Ames?!" Hunter growled. He locked his hand around the other Dom's throat and lifted him up the wall. The Dom was gasping for air. "I should rip out your throat for threatening my Sub!"

Sebastian placed a hand on Hunter's arm. "He's not worth it, Hunter. I've recorded everything with my phone. Bring him to the principle and he'll get his punishment." He gave Hunter his phone and Hunter dragged the other Dom away. He could hear Ames begging Hunter.

"Come on, Hunter, you can't report me to the principle. It's our last chance at winning State! Without me you won't win the Championship!" When Hunter didn't responded, Ames went a little further. "You can't replace me! I'm the best quarterback! Is your Sub really more important than the Championship? There will be plenty of Sub's throwing themselves at your feet once we win!"

Hunter slammed him against the wall and Ames groaned in pain. "Shut the fuck up! If you keep talking, you won't make it to the principal's office alive!" With that final statement, he dragged Ames out of the hall.

Sebastian turned back to Kurt, pleased that his Dom had chosen him over some stupid random football player, but his face fell once he saw the state Kurt was in. The smaller Sub was curled up and shaking violently. He slowly came closer, approaching Kurt as if he were approaching a skittish animal. "Hey, Kurt, they're gone. You're safe. Don't worry."

"I-I'll never be safe as long as there are Dom's!" Kurt sniffed. He quickly wiped his tears away, got up and ran past Sebastian. He almost ran over Jeff, Thad and Trent who were just coming from the locker room. They stared at Sebastian confused.

"What did you do?" Jeff snapped.

"Nothing." Sebastian shrugged.

"Yeah, right. That's why he was crying and running away from you?" Thad scoffed.

"If you really want to know, I've just saved his sorry ass." Sebastian glared coldly at the three Sub's.

"From who?" Trent asked. His demeanor wasn't as hostile as the other two, but he had also became really protective of the new Sub.

"A jock gave him a hard time. Hunter dragged him over to the principal's office."

"What did he do? What was his name?" Jeff asked.

Sebastian snorted. "What do you want to do? Hit the jock with your handbag?" Jeff, Trent and Thad all looked insulted, but they realized Sebastian had a point. Dom's were much stronger than Sub's and in a fair fight, meaning all of them against the Dom, they would still lose. Besides, fighting just wasn't in a Sub's nature. They'd much rather keep the peace.

"Let Hunter handle this. I don't think we'll be seeing the jock again." He walked past Thad and Trent and stopped next to Jeff. "FYI, if you really want to help Kurt, don't push him. Be there for him when he asks for help. Don't force yourself and your always oh-so-happy attitude on him, Sterling. It won't help him at all."

"How do you know it won't help him?" Jeff asked, confused.

"Because I'm probably the only one in this school who knows what he's been through."

Sebastian left, leaving the three Subs speechless. Sebastian had never spoke about his past, and if it was up to him, he would never tell anyone.

xxx

Warbler practice started off as usual with Wes and David arguing over song choices, but everyone else was busy thinking of other things.

Blaine kept a close eye on Sebastian. He hoped to talk to him after practice was over to ask about the voice he'd heard yesterday. He knew it couldn't have possibly been Sebastian. That voice kept him up all night. He couldn't stop thinking about it.

But one look at the Sub made Blaine wonder if this was the right time to ask. Sebastian was tense throughout the entirety of practice and didn't look at anyone. He didn't even speak up when Jeff suggested to do "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" for Sectionals. So, something was definitely off with Sebastian.

Wes dismissed the practice early because nobody was in the mood for singing. Sebastian immediately got up and disappeared into the crowd. Blaine tried to follow him, but he was too late.

"Blaine, are you coming?" David waited at the door for Blaine.

"If we wait any longer all the good food will be gone." Trent whined.

"Something wrong, Blaine?" Wes asked concerned.

"Actually guys, there is." Blaine sat back down. "There is something I need to tell you."

"No more drama." Jeff sighed dramatically, leaning into Nick. "I have had enough for one week."

Wes, deciding to show everyone that he had a heart and wasn't a robot, walked over and knelt in front of Blaine, who looked shocked at the weird behavior. If Wes didn't know better he could see fear in Blaine's eyes and he could swear Nick pushed Jeff protectively behind him and the others took a few steps back. _'What is it with everyone acting weird when I'm trying to be supportive for once?'_ He thought annoyed.

"That was a weird fall." David whispered to Thad.

"I don't think Wes fell down, David. I think he's trying...something."

Wes glared at his friends before turning back to Blaine who sat frozen in his seat. He placed his hands on Blaine's, trying to calm him.

"Oh my God! He's going to propose!" Jeff squealed, clapping his hands in delight. He pulled out his phone from his pocket. "I need to film this."

"I AM NOT GOING TO PROPOSE!" Wes yelled. Blaine let out a breath of relief.

"Can you hurry this up? I smell burgers." Trent was drooling at the thought of burgers.

"Blaine, I want you to know that...I support your relationship with Kurt completely." Wes said. "I hope things work out for you two and you have my blessing."

Blaine blinked. "Wow, Wes. That's all I've ever wanted. How did you know? I mean, I wouldn't go through with this if it wasn't for your blessing. It means so much to me." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice and the other's tried their best to hide their laughter. Wes looked proud, either not hearing the sarcasm or just deciding to ignore it. He smiling widely. Blaine stood up and hugged him. "Who knew you still had some humanity left in you?"

Wes' smile disappeared and turned into a scowl, while the others laughed. "Very funny guys."

"Great! Let's eat." Trent was already out of the door.

"Wait! You still had something you wanted to say, Blaine?" Nick asked. Everyone turned around to look at Blaine.

"It can wait," Blaine shrugged. Firstly, he had to talk to Sebastian before he could even dream of mentioning the voice to his friends. He needed a name, otherwise they would think he was crazy.

"Great!" Trent cheered, running down the hall.

Blaine wanted to follow, but stopped when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He told the others he would join them later and picked up. "Blaine Anderson speaking."

"Blaine? I've been trying to reach you for the last three hours, son."

The voice sent shivers down his spine.

"Anton?"

Kurt looked in the mirror. His eyes were red and swollen. He'd been crying ever since he left the gym hallway. The bad memories were just too much. He'd really thought that things would change for him here at Dalton, but Kurt was discovering that no matter where he was, he would always be confronted with Dom's. It was just too much.

Kurt was on his way to take a shower in his own bathroom when he heard noise outside his door and then a small knock. He tensed. He couldn't handle visitors tonight. Maybe if he didn't make any noise they would go away.

"Kurt? It's me, Jeff Sterling. Your neighbor and, well, classmate and ..." Jeff's voice sounded nervous. "... and your best friend in the whole wide world. I know you probably want to be alone and aren't in a mood for company, but I made cupcakes because you missed dinner."

Kurt glanced at the clock. It was 7 PM. He had missed dinner. "And you left your bag and Dalton uniform in the locker room after gym class, so I picked them up for you."

Kurt's stomach was protesting loudly and he needed his bag and uniform for tomorrow's classes, so he opened his door.

Jeff smiled softly at him, his arms full of Kurt's stuff and a plate of cupcakes. "Sorry if I'm bothering you."

"You're not bothering me at all." Kurt gestured for Jeff to come in and sit down on his neatly made bed. "So, you saw what happened today?" Suddenly he felt ashamed. Adam was right. He was _weak._

"I saw you running past me, but that's about it." Jeff sat down, placing the plate of cupcakes on the nightstand.

"I can't really explain what happened." Kurt said, sitting down in the only chair in the room. He wasn't ready to tell Jeff what happened with Adam. He would look down on him. "It just got to be too much."

Jeff shrugged. "You don't have to explain anything. I understand. Life gets to be too much sometimes. Everyone has their own demons and scars from the past. It's not up to me to tell your story. Maybe one day you can share it with the world, but for now... Let's eat."

And with that, the tension was gone. The two made small talk and shared the cupcakes. Kurt couldn't be any more grateful. Jeff didn't ask or push for answers and that made Kurt unspeakably content.

Once Jeff had left for his room to work on some homework, Kurt showered and got dressed in his Dalton uniform. Kurt made his way out of his room, and walked through the main entrance into the night. There was a light breeze, but it wasn't too cold. He loosened his tie to breathe easier. He needed some space, to clear his head. He'd been led to believe that there were good Dom's out there.

Dalton had a no bullying policy, but after today Kurt wasn't so sure if the headmaster and the teachers really knew what was going on behind closed doors. It was obvious that some Dom's still held on to old traditions and treated Sub's like slaves.

"Kurt?" A soft voice spoke from the dark shadows.

Kurt jumped, his heart racing, but he breathed a sigh of relief once he saw Blaine sitting on a bench with his phone in his hand. "Blaine."

"I'm sorry I scared you." Blaine patted the space next to him. "I could use some company."

Kurt sat down, leaving a lot of space between them. After what happened today, he couldn't be close to any Dom. He glanced at Blaine and noticed the tired look on his face. "You sure you want my company? When someone goes outside to sit by themselves, they usually don't want company."

"I'm fine." Blaine said.

"You don't look fine. I mean not that you look horrible... I mean..." Kurt stuttered. "You look... sad."

Blaine sighed. "I don't want to bother you with my problems, Kurt. You already have enough on your mind. It should be the other way around." Kurt looked confusedly at Blaine. "I'm a Dom, Kurt. You're a new Sub who's just started school here. I am the one who should take care of you, show you around and make sure that you have someone you could talk to."

"If you think that a Sub's job is to just be pampered and sit around on a throne all day then you're wrong. We love to take care of our Dom too." Kurt looked away shyly when he saw Blaine's intense gaze on him. He had no idea why he said that. After all, all he knew was that Dom's boss their Sub's around and treat them like garbage. Still he remembered the strong need to please his Dom. Even when Adam treated him badly, he still wanted to please him.

"They should be spoiled." Blaine interrupted his thoughts. Their eyes locked and Kurt felt himself drown in those warm hazel brown eyes. Blaine glanced at Kurt's lips and began to lean forward.

Kurt quickly pulled back with a high blush on his cheeks. He cleared his throat, his eyes firmly on the ground. "Your Sub is a lucky man, then."

Blaine frowned. He thought Kurt knew. "I haven't found a Sub, yet."

Kurt's eyes widened, and his head shot up to stare at Blaine in disbelief. _'There's no way someone like Blaine hasn't found his Sub yet.'_ Kurt had seen the many glances the other Sub's at school directed at Blaine throughout the week. It was true that he hadn't seen Blaine with any Sub in particular, but he thought that he had a Sub at home for sure. "Why?"

Blaine shrugged. "To be honest, it's because of my dad." He sighed. He hated to admit to Kurt that he was too afraid to stand up to his dad, that he was a coward. "He doesn't approve of me being gay, but I think he has sort of accepted it, in his own weird way. You see, I've had a few boyfriends, but every time I've brought them home, my dad would make rude comments. He wanted to know if they had enough money and what their dads did for work. At the end of the day, I would bring my date's home, feeling so ashamed of my father that I usually broke up with them to spare them any further humiliation and discomfort. I haven't dated anyone for two years now. I've given up."

Kurt swallowed. For a brief second, when he heard that Blaine was single, he dared to hope for a future with Blaine as _his_ Dom, but he knew Blaine's dad would never approve of him. His dad wasn't a rich business man, but a simple hardworking mechanic. He saw his only hope at a good future disappear.

A mean voice in his head said: _'Who says Blaine is interested in someone like you anyway?'_

Kurt shook his head to clear his thoughts. He wouldn't let his demons get to him again. He's stronger than that. Besides this wasn't about him. It was about Blaine. He clenched his fists in anger. How could Blaine's father treat him like that? Like his son's happiness didn't matter? Forcing Blaine to break up with someone he could possibly see a future with? _'Didn't he know how hard it is to find love?'_ "I can't believe he would do that to you."

"You don't know my dad. He's capable of anything as long as he gets what he wants." Blaine got up and began to pace. Kurt could feel his anger and frustration. "Of course with my brother Cooper things were easier. He's straight, tall, handsome, charming and could get any girl he wants. He Bonded a few years ago with a woman from old money. You should've seen my dad's face." Blaine's voice broke a little, and Kurt's heart broke for him. He couldn't imagine anyone threatening someone as kind as Blaine like this. "He was proud. That look has never been directed at me. Every time he looks at me I see resentment, disappointment." He looked at Kurt. "Even if I joined the company, I don't think he'd see me anything less than his useless _gay_ son."

Kurt couldn't take it anymore. He stood up and took Blaine's hand, holding it close to his chest. Blaine could feel Kurt's heart beating rapidly. "Don't give up, Blaine. Go to New York and make music. Stand up for yourself and your dreams. Without dreams and goals we're just surviving. We need to start living."

Blaine looked at Kurt frozen, taking in his words. He was right. It was time to take matters into his own hands. He would fight for his dreams. He couldn't let his dad win, not after everything that had happened. "Only if you'll do the same."

Kurt bit his lip, looking down at their joined hands. He looked back up at Blaine and nodded. "If I can find what my dream is, I will."

"I'll help you find it." Blaine promised.

"…You still haven't told me why you're out here all alone." Kurt responded hesitantly. "I... if it's too private or if you'd rather talk about it with your friends..."

"You're my friend, Kurt." Blaine broke the contact between them and sat down on the bench.

Kurt felt cold at the loss of the warm contact and sat down next to Blaine. "My friends don't know about my problems with my parents. They know that something is going on, but it's private, you know?"

"I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean to..." Kurt rambled quickly to apologize.

"It's okay, Kurt." Blaine said calmly, sensing the small panic attack. "You're different. You're easy to talk to and you actually listen to me. You don't judge."

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to." Kurt said softly.

A silence fell between them and for a moment Kurt thought that Blaine wasn't going to talk about what was bothering him so much that he skipped dinner. Then Blaine spoke up. "My dad called. He wants to have a family dinner this weekend. I was looking forward to a weekend with my aunt and uncle." He leaned forward, his head between his hands. "I haven't heard from my family all summer, and now they want to have dinner?"

"Maybe it's just dinner?" Kurt asked, even though it was clear he himself didn't think it was 'just dinner.'

"Maybe." Blaine mumbled, not believing it. He knew his family better than anyone.

Kurt hated to see Blaine so sad and wanted to cheer him up. "This is a great opportunity to say what you want. Have a talk with your dad."

Blaine nodded. "You're right." He put on a smile even though he didn't feel like smiling. He had no idea if he would ever be able to find the courage to stand up to his father one day. He saw Kurt relax and smile happily when his mood cheered up. "So, how was your day? How were Sub classes?"

"They were okay, I guess." Kurt shrugged. "Everybody has been really nice."

"But?"

"I just thought things would be different at Dalton. Better."

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked.

"I bumped into a Dom on my way to the shower after gym class." Kurt explained. "I apologized, but he just got really angry." He stopped when he saw Blaine's eyes darkening in anger.

"What was his name? What did he do?" Blaine hissed, clenching his fists. He was ready to punch the bastard to pieces.

"I don't know his name. He shoved me against the wall. But it's okay, Blaine. I'm fine."

"No, it's not okay!" Blaine jumped up, and began to walk briskly towards the entrance of Dalton. He was going to check who had gym class at the same time as Kurt.

"Sebastian came between us." Kurt yelled out, quickly running towards Blaine in order to stop him.

Blaine stopped and turned around. Kurt almost bumped into him. "What?"

"He stood up for me. After that, Sebastian's Dom appeared." Kurt tried his best to remember the name of the strong Dom, but he just couldn't remember. He'd been too afraid to pay attention to details. "He shoved the other Dom off and then they left together."

Blaine gaped at him, in shock. Sebastian never helped others. He never interacted with other Sub's. He was completely fine being alone. All Blaine knew about Sebastian was that he only cared about Hunter. He made a mental note to thank both Sebastian and Hunter when he saw them. He briefly wondered if Hunter would still help Kurt out if he had known that he wanted to make Kurt his. Eventually. _'Probably not.'_ "You mean Hunter?"

Kurt nodded, shuffling nervously on his feet, waiting for Blaine to say something. His eyes slowly changed back to the familiar warm hazel brown eyes. Kurt sighed in relief. "So, you're not mad?"

"Of course not. You've done nothing wrong." Blaine said. "I just didn't expect Hunter to do that."

"Why not?"

"His dad used to work for my dad, until my dad fired him." Blaine explained. "I was on the football team with Hunter, who was the Captain. He gave me a hard time and blamed me for everything. They lost their house and had to move to a smaller house outside of Westerville, living off of Mrs. Clarington's salary. I quit football and that's that. I think Hunter still has a grudge against me."

"But...that's not fair." Kurt shook his head, not believing the other Dom who stood up for him could be capable of such actions.

Blaine shrugged. "I joined the football team because my dad wanted me to. I didn't really want to be on the team, so I didn't mind quitting." It was getting colder and he saw Kurt shiver, wrapping his arms around his waist to keep himself warm. "Do you think there is still some food left for me? I'm starving."

Kurt smiled. "So, everything is okay again?"

"I'll be fine thanks to your good advice. Thank you, Kurt." Blaine couldn't help but smile when he saw Kurt's face break out into a wide bright smile. He offered his arm to Kurt.

"Would you like to join me for dinner?" He looked at Kurt, afraid that he would reject him, but Kurt nodded and took Blaine's arm. Together they walked inside.

The next day, Blaine and Kurt had three classes together and during breaks could be seen joined at the hip. Blaine noticed that he got a few curious looks from other Dom's and he saw Sub's gossiping about the new friendship, but he didn't care. Kurt didn't seem to notice and if he did, he hid it really well. Blaine didn't care about the gossips. All he cared about was Kurt.

After classes, Kurt was called to the headmaster's office to talk about his first week.

Mrs. Leviton was waiting for him behind the headmaster's desk. "Mr. Jones has asked me to make sure you're doing well, Kurt. Since we've already met, he thought it would be best if I conducted this meeting." Kurt nodded. Mrs. Leviton smiled. "So, how was your first week?"

"Good, I guess." Kurt shrugged. "Everyone is really nice."

Mrs. Leviton's smile widened. Obviously she was really proud of Dalton and their standards.

"Have you made any friends?" She grabbed her notebook.

"A few." Kurt shifted nervously. He didn't like being the center of attention.

"Good. I've only heard positive things about you from the teachers, Kurt. They believe you can easily handle the classes."

Kurt relaxed a little bit after that. It was good to hear that he had been doing a good job. He politely answered Mrs. Leviton's questions for the next thirty minutes.

Mrs. Leviton closed the notebook at the end of the meeting. "If you ever want to talk about anything that might be bothering you, you can always come to me." Kurt tensed a little, afraid that Hunter or Sebastian might have told her about the incident that had happened the day before, but Mrs. Leviton stood up and shook his hand. The panic must've shown on his face because she gave his hand a small reassuring squeeze. "That's all, Kurt. I hope you have a great weekend and give my greetings to your father. Okay?"

Kurt smiled. "I will, Mrs. Leviton." He walked out of the office and saw Melody looking through a gossip magazine, chewing her gum. "Have a nice weekend, Melody." The girl gave a nod and waved him goodbye, her eyes not leaving the magazine.

Kurt walked to the main entrance. Everyone was leaving to go home for the weekend, but to his disappointment, he couldn't see Blaine anywhere. He wanted to ask him something before leaving because it didn't feel right to just leave like this. He checked the parking lot and saw that Blaine's car was still in place. _'Where is Blaine?'_

Kurt walked back to Dalton when he saw Nick and Jeff walking his way. Jeff spotted him immediately and gave him a firm hug. "Kurt, I really am going to miss you over the weekend."

Kurt smiled at the cute blond Sub. He had really grown fond of him the past few days. "I'm going to miss you too, Jeff. You're heading home?"

Jeff nodded, locking his hand firmly with Nick's. "I'm heading to Nick's. He doesn't like being separated for two days." He rolled his eyes at his Dom when he pulled Jeff even closer, but there was a big smile on Jeff's face at the gesture.

"Have you seen Blaine by any chance? I really want to speak to him before I go." Kurt said.

Nick and Jeff glanced at each other with a knowing smile. "He went to the gym to exercise a bit." Nick answered. He glanced at his watch. "He should be done by now. You can find him there."

"Thank you. Have a nice weekend."

"You too." Nick and Jeff both said at the same time and Kurt turned around, going down the hall to find Blaine.

Blaine decided to go to the gym to exercise a little before returning home that weekend. He changed his clothes and grabbed his boxing gloves. He needed to release the tension in his body before he could face his family. After he quit the football team, he took up boxing lessons. It was the perfect way to release any tension.

Blaine began warming up when he heard a familiar voice.

"Need a sparring partner?"

Blaine turned around. Before him stood a tall Dom with brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic body. The Dom grinned widely at Blaine. "Something wrong, Anderson? Are you too scared?"

Blaine grinned. "I'd never turn down a challenge. Especially from you, Travis Brown." He walked over and gave the Dom a hug. Travis Brown was a jock, in his senior year and one of the most adored Dom's at Dalton. He was Dalton's boxing champion, and everyone respected him. Travis taught Blaine everything he knew about boxing. "You sure? If word gets out that I knocked out the boxing champion it might ruin your reputation."

Travis scoffed, putting his gloves on. "You wish. I'm still undefeated."

After a quick warm up, the boys began circling and sparring. It was obvious that Travis was in top form, despite the summer break. Blaine didn't stand a chance.

When Blaine was thrown to the floor for the third time, he gave up. Together they walked to the locker room, took a shower and changed into their clothes.

"You've never given up so easily before, Anderson. Something wrong?" Travis asked, putting hairspray in his hair. It was important for him to look absolutely perfect. _'Maybe this year I'll find my Sub.'_

"Family dinner." Blaine mumbled.

"Ouch!" Travis knew about Blaine's relationship with his parents. During their boxing training, they had to talk a lot about the source of Blaine's anger: his family.

Blaine nodded, checking his phone for any missed messages. His dad would kill him if he was late for their family weekend.

Nick had texted him. _**'Are you still at the gym? I've sent Kurt your way. He was looking for you.'**_

Blaine quickly grabbed his bag and jacket. Travis, noticing Blaine's haste and smile, smirked. "Someone waiting for you?"

"Maybe."

Travis' eyes widened. He hadn't been expecting that. "No way. You've found someone?"

Blaine shrugged. "It's not official yet."

"I'm happy for you though. It's about damn time!" Travis said sincerely.

"Thanks. I've got to go." Blaine stated, walking to the door.

"Sure. I'll see you next week. You could use some extra training. You're getting fat and slow." Travis teased.

Blaine glared at the other Dom, but there was a playful glint in his eyes. "You watch your mouth, Brown. One day, I'll beat you." He walked through the door, hearing Travis yell: "Only in your dreams, Anderson!" and closed the door to search for Kurt.

Travis quickly finished up, grabbed his stuff and walked into the gym hall to go home, but then he saw _him._ He froze on the spot and his jaw dropped. He couldn't take his eyes off of the angel standing before him.

Pale skin, chestnut brown hair, bright blue eyes, soft pink lips, slim build. The angel was wearing the Dalton uniform and a scarf was wrapped tightly around his neck. That was a little bit out of place for a Dalton student, but Travis didn't care. He was already under the spell of the Sub. He just had to have him.

Suddenly, Blaine Anderson appeared at the side of the Sub. They smiled at each other as if they knew each other. Travis' heart dropped, Blaine's words ringing in his head. That he perhaps had found his Sub. There was no doubt in Travis' mind that Blaine had meant _this_ Sub. Blaine looked like a love sick puppy.

Travis clenched his fists. He really wanted that Sub. He had never had such a strong reaction to a Sub before. Then he remembered Blaine saying that it wasn't official...yet. Therefore meaning that Travis still had a chance. He saw Blaine and the Sub walk away together. They already looked close, but Travis Brown never backed down from a challenge. _'All is fair in love and war, Anderson. It's on.'_

Travis turned sharply to move around the corner when something small hit him. Normally he would apologize and help, but now he wasn't in the mood. His mind was full of the mysterious angel. "Can't you watch where you're going?"

"S-sorry." A small Sub with big glasses pushed down his nose and books clenched against his chest said timidly. The Sub had innocent brown doe eyes and Travis softened a little bit. "I-I was on my way to talk to Coach Young to tell him I can't... I mean... I just..." The cheeks of the Sub turned red.

"It's okay, um…what's your name?" Travis asked, trying to be friendly.

"Thad."

"I should apologize, Thad. I was in a hurry. I'm sorry I snapped."

"It's okay." Thad relaxed a little bit, but his cheeks were still red.

"I really need to go. Have a nice weekend, Thad." Travis said, quickly turning around. He was hoping to see his angel one more time before he went home for the weekend.

"Bye." Thad sighed, leaning against the wall. _'Great. That just went...perfect.'_ Thad felt horrible for lying to his friends and Travis about seeing Coach Young, but he just had to have an excuse to see Travis Brown. He knew he promised Trent to stay single for their time at Dalton, but he had had a crush on Travis for a long time. He'd always hid it though because he thought the Dom would never notice him, but this was his senior year. When Thad had heard that Travis was still single, he couldn't just stand by and let him walk away. This was probably his only chance to show Travis that he existed. _'And it was a disaster.'_

Thad quietly made his way out of the gym to head home for the weekend.

Kurt walked Blaine to his car. There were two reasons for that. One, Kurt didn't want Blaine to see his car. He would laugh in his face. Two, he wanted to ask Blaine something.

Blaine's mood became worse once they were had reached his car. There was no going back now. He really had to spend the weekend with his family. "So, this is it then." He turned to look at Kurt, who shifted nervously on his feet. "Everything okay?"

Kurt nodded, biting his lip. "I... I was thinking..." He shifted his feet nervously.

"Well, that's always a good thing." Blaine encouraged, wondering what was going on.

Kurt blushed, staring at his feet. "I... I know how much you hate your family. I was thinking... maybe I could be a support for you from afar?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can I…? Maybe we could exchange phone numbers so that you can call or text me?" Kurt rambled.

Blaine's face lit up. "That's brilliant." He quickly handed Kurt his phone so that he could type in his number. Kurt fumbled with it for a moment. After Kurt gave it back he called his phone so that Kurt had his number as well. "I need a profile picture though." He quickly took a photo of Kurt's confused face and added it.

"Hey! I look horrible." Kurt scowled. He had not been ready.

"Of course you don't. Now take one of me so you can remember my face during the weekend." Blaine made a goofy face as Kurt held up his phone.

Kurt took a picture and giggled. "All done."

"Really? Let me see!" Blaine walked over and gaped at the photo. Kurt had taken a photo of Blaine's Impala. The only body part of Blaine that was in the picture was his leg. "Hey!"

Kurt giggled, and to Blaine it was the most beautiful sound in the world. "I couldn't help it. It's so irresistible."

Blaine smirked. "I do have nice legs, don't I?"

They stared at each other before bursting into laughter. Kurt wiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks. For the first time in his life, he was crying in laughter instead of crying in pain.

"I really have to go." Blaine sighed, after calming his laughter.

"Me too." Kurt nodded.

"I don't want to." Blaine admitted honestly.

Kurt could feel Blaine's distress. He wanted nothing more than to take Blaine home with him, where he would be safe from his father and taken care of, but he knew that Burt would never accept another Dom in his home again. "I mean it. You can always call me, Blaine. Even if it's 2:00 in the morning."

"Thank you." Blaine leaned forward and hugged Kurt close.

At first, Kurt tensed, but he quickly relaxed in Blaine's hold, surprised at how safe he felt at that moment. He felt lost when Blaine pulled back again.

"I'll see you on Monday. Have a nice weekend with your dad, Kurt." With one last look, Blaine got into his car and started the engine.

Blaine parked his car in the grand circle driveway in front of his family's mansion. He tensed when he saw his parent's and Cooper's cars already parked in front of him. He swallowed.

 _'Maybe I can still turn around and crash at Wes' place tonight?'_

Before he could put the car in reverse, he got a text message from Kurt. He had typed one word.

 _ **'Courage.'**_

Blaine smiled, put the car back into park, grabbed his bag and stepped outside. He locked the door. He'd made a promise to Kurt that he would stand up for what he believed in and he just needed a small reminder to make it through.

He opened the door and stepped inside, fully prepared to stand up for himself. _'Sure I can handle a weekend with my family, right?'_

"Mom! Anton! I'm home!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N: Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I can assure you this story isn't and won't be abandoned.**

 **My beta Emerly Felton wanted me to add a apology from her behalf:** **"Hello everyone! Dotje90's beta here. She sent this chapter to me on October 4th. I'm the one that took forever and I sincerely apologize for the long wait. She has some amazing chapters coming your way. I don't know how the writing bug bites her so often, but she's gifted. Again, thank you for sticking with her when I've been the one taking my sweet time editing everything.** **Y'all are in for a treat!"**

 **Warnings for: flashbacks, homophobic language.**

Broken: Chapter 5

 **May 18, 2010 - After Midnight**

Kurt quietly snuck in to his home. He glanced around the dark hallway and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that everything was dark. That meant that his dad had gone to bed without any suspicion. Kurt walked through the kitchen and into the living room, trying to be as quiet as possible. He was just about to turn his back to the living room and walk to the stairs leading to his bedroom when a familiar voice spoke up and Kurt froze.

"And just where have you been?"

Kurt slowly turned around. Burt turned on a light. He was sitting in his favorite chair, his cap sitting off to the side and his phone in his hand. His eyes were cold and angry. Kurt had never seen his dad's anger directed at him. The last time Burt was upset was when he found out about the bullying, and that had led to a heart attack.

"Well?"

"Dad..."

"Before you begin, don't tell me that you were at Mercedes' because I already called her and she's also worried sick about you." Burt interrupted. Kurt opened his mouth, but didn't get a chance to speak. "And don't use Rachel as an excuse either. I also called her and she was at the movies with a boy."

Kurt wrung his hands nervously, his eyes firmly pointed at his feet. He was running out of excuses.

"Mind telling me why you snuck out of the house tonight? You've never done this, Kurt. You've never lied to me. When you said that you weren't feeling well and went to bed early, I went to check up on you. When I discovered that your bed was empty, I panicked. I thought something horrible had happened. I called the cops, Kurt!" Burt raised his voice, and Kurt winced. His dad had never yelled at him, not even when Kurt had borrowed some money from his father's wallet without asking in order to buy a new pair of boots.

"Dad, I..." Kurt swallowed. "I went to see him."

"Him? Who?" Burt narrowed his eyes.

Kurt smiled at the thought of Adam. He sat down on the couch. "He's amazing, Dad. You've already met him. I had a date with the Dom I met a few days ago. He's nice and he's really interested in me."

"Wait." Burt stopped him from rambling. "What Dom? You mean that older one?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "He's not that old, dad."

Burt scoffed. "He's too old for you. That's for sure."

"Come on dad. I'm not a child anymore." Kurt said annoyed. He wished his dad would stop seeing him as his little boy and see him as a young adult who could make his own choices.

"You are fifteen!"

"Almost sixteen!"

Burt sighed, looking older than he had in years. "This isn't like you, Kurt. Sneaking out to meet a... _man_." Burt said "man" like the word was acid. "What's going on?"

"He asked me to bond with him."

Burt's eyes widened in shock. "What? Have you lost your damn mind? I hope you said no."

Kurt looked at his feet, not daring to say anything. Burt jumped up. "Kurt, you didn't..."

Kurt shrugged. "I said yes."

"How could you? I thought I taught you better than this, Kurt. Don't settle for the first person who says something nice to you. There are a lot of Dom's out there. You'll find someone your own age."

"This is Lima, Ohio, dad. This isn't New York. There is nobody here for me." Kurt said.

"Wait a few years until you've graduated and then you'll find someone in New York." Burt tried to reason.

"I don't want to wait. I like him, dad. I think he's the one."

"You don't know him, Kurt."

"His name is Adam. He's here to take care of a family member. He lives in London..."

"London?!"

"Yeah. So?" answered Kurt petulantly.

"So? Is he going to take you to London after you two are bonded?"

"I don't know." Kurt admitted. "We haven't talked about that yet, but he said that I'd get to finish this school year here."

"Damn straight you are." Burt said. "You stay in the United States and you graduate here."

"Dad, he wants to have me go to a different school."

"What?" Burt fumed.

"It's not exactly like I'm learning all that much at McKinley anyway and with all the bullying..."

"You said it had stopped."

"A little."

"Great." Burt mumbled. He began to pace. His son had lied to him once again. Burt was starting to feel as if he didn't know Kurt at all.

"Dad, please, give him a chance. I'll invite him over for my birthday and then you can meet him. I'm sure you'll like him."

Burt sighed. He knew he was defeated. Kurt was already standing behind this older Dom. The least he could do was meet this Dom and give him a chance. "Ok."

Kurt's face broke into a smile and he hugged his dad close. "Thank you, dad. You're the best." He gave his dad a kiss on the cheek.

"All right, but never lie to me again, Kurt. I mean it!" Burt warned. He still had to lecture his son after what he had done that night, despite his happiness. "You almost gave me another heart attack."

Kurt's smile disappeared. "That's not funny, dad."

"Well, quit making your dad worry then. Us Hummel's need to stick together. You're all I have left, Kurt. I've taught you to be honest. You know you can go out with friends, but tell me."

"I know. I'm sorry, dad." Kurt looked at his feet, feeling ashamed of his behavior.

"Go to bed. It's already late." Burt ordered. "I'll wake you up when it's time to get to the garage. You'll help me the next three weekends. You're grounded."

Kurt sighed, defeated, but he didn't object and walked upstairs. Burt heard his door close and he sat back on the couch. He rubbed his hand over his head. Burt looked over at a photo of a six year old Kurt playing in the sand at the beach with Elizabeth and himself looking at their little boy with happy smiles on their faces. It was the first and last time Kurt had gone to the beach and Burt remembered that day like it had been yesterday. Elizabeth had complained about sand in her shoes all day.

Burt wished Elizabeth was still with them. She would know what to do or say.

 **September 17, 2011 - Present Day**

Kurt parked his car in front of his house. He quickly checked his phone and bit his lip in worry. Blaine hadn't texted back. He hoped everything would go well between Blaine and his parents. ' _If anyone deserves a chance at happiness, it's Blaine.'_ Kurt thought.

Kurt sighed. He couldn't stop worrying about the Dom. He had felt this strange pull towards Blaine since the beginning. He wanted to do anything to make him happy. Kurt sighed, stepping out of his car. _'It's probably the Submissive side of me. I've fallen for that before, and look at how well that turned out.'_

Kurt was shaken out of his thoughts by strong warm arms and a familiar smile. He smiled and leaned into the hug. "Hi, dad."

Burt let go of his son and ran his eyes over him to make sure he was okay. Kurt didn't look upset, hurt or broken. In fact, he looked... normal. Burt let out a sigh of relief. He'd been worried since he had left Kurt at Dalton and hadn't hear anything from him. He told himself that everything was okay and if something happened the principal would contact him immediately. He'd kept himself busy with work. There was a lot to do at the garage, but there was always this voice screaming at him to call Kurt or to visit him. "You look good."

"I feel good." Kurt answered, grabbing his suitcase and entering the house. Nothing had changed since he left. The house still looked messy. Burt didn't like cleaning. Kurt was usually the one who had to convince him that a clean house was also better for his health. He turned to look at Burt, with a raised eyebrow, obviously judging him.

Burt gaped at him. He hadn't seen a judgmental look directed at him for a year. For a moment, Kurt looked like the 16 year old he'd seen before he left home to start a life with Adam. Kurt was never the same after that. Burt tried to not let his surprise show too much. He was happy Kurt was healing. He shrugged. "What? I don't like cleaning."

"I've noticed."

"However, I cooked." Burt said proudly.

Kurt put his hands on his hips. "You cooked?" His father was a terrible chef. He tried after Elizabeth died, but gave up and Kurt taught himself to cook because he was tired of take out. When he didn't cook, his dad lived on take outs and fries.

Burt nodded.

"Should I be scared?"

Burt chuckled. "Of course not. Pizza should be here in ten minutes."

Kurt sighed. "I knew it was too good to be true."

"At least you won't die of food poisoning tonight." Burt teased. Kurt smiled, a smile Burt hadn't seen in a year.

Kurt quickly hugged his dad. "I've missed you, dad."

"Missed you too, kid. I know you want to take a shower and check if your room is still intact, so go ahead. Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes."

Kurt beamed at him, grabbed his suitcase and went upstairs. Burt watched him go, with a proud smile on his face, trying not to break down. He'd never expected so much improvement with Kurt. When Kurt moved back, he'd stayed in his room and only came out to use the bathroom. Now he was smiling and acting like the Kurt he once knew and thought he'd lost, and that was only after one week of Dalton! Burt knew he'd made the right decision to send Kurt to Dalton.

xxx

Blaine was greeted with complete silence. "Hello?" He put down his suitcase and walked down the hallway. The mansion was huge and walking through it, he looked in every room he came across for someone, anyone. "Anton? Mom? Coop?"

He was once again met by silence. Blaine walked back to his suitcase to bring it upstairs to his room when someone entered the hallway. A tall, middle aged man with a grey mustache stepped in front of him. He was wearing a nice tux. "Good evening, Sir Blaine."

"Albert." Blaine nodded at the butler. Albert had worked for the Anderson family for at least twenty years. Blaine grew up with him. Albert knew probably all of the Anderson family secrets, but he kept to himself and kept his mouth shut. That's why he still had his job. Albert was truly reliable.

"They're already in the dining room, sir. I'll carry your suitcase upstairs."

"You don't have to. I can carry it myself. I'm sure my family can wait a little longer. They won't mind."

Albert looked at Blaine as if he had grown two heads. Blaine sighed. "Okay then, Albert. Go ahead."

The older man smiled, grabbed Blaine's suitcase and walked towards the huge staircase.

Blaine quickly checked his hair in the hall mirror. It was still neatly pulled back by gel, but he knew that no matter how dapper he looked, his father would always have something nasty to say about him. After one last look, he walked to the dining room. He could hear his family talking.

"He'll be here soon." His mother said reassuringly.

"He better be. This will be one of the most important nights in his life. If he's skipping our dinner because he's hanging out with another fag, I'll drag him home myself." His dad spoke up, agitated.

"Anton." Cooper and his mother were both shocked at his words.

"What?" Anton Anderson snapped. "I'm just saying that being gay has affected his brain activity over the years. He's dumber than ever. It's as if his brains cells are dying and I'm tired of that shit. Natasha, it's time to arrange a meeting with the Wilson family. Their daughter Ashley would be perfect for Blaine."

Blaine clenched his hands into fists and opened the door. Everyone turned to look at him. Nobody said anything which gave Blaine time to take in his family and the room.

Nothing about the room had changed over the last 14 years. The room held a large table which was surrounded by candles and above it hung a large chandelier. Then his eyes landed on the family members.

His older brother, Cooper, had brown hair and blue eyes. Sitting next to him sat a blond, curly haired woman with an icy expression on her face. They were both dressed up as if they were about to attend a gala. Cooper was wearing an Armani suit and his Sub, Cora, was wearing a dress that left very little to the imagination. As always, they diverted their attention away from Blaine, treating him like he had some kind of disease.

His dad had stood up, but he didn't move forward. He just stared at his younger son with cold eyes. Blaine shivered because those eyes reminded him of the future he would be subjected to if he didn't stand up for himself right then and there. Anton Anderson looked exactly like Blaine, only 30 years older. He had the same eyebrows, the same brown eyes. Even his black curly hair was gelled back on his head. He, too, was wearing an Armani suit.

"Blaine! I'm so glad you're here." Natasha Anderson was the only one to walk towards him and embrace him like an actual member of their family. Her normally long black hair had been pulled back into a tight knot on the top of her head. She was wearing a red dress that she had made herself. Anton didn't allow his sub to get a job. Natasha's job was to take care of him. She only had to be present at the office and look pretty. Natasha was a natural beauty. It was obvious why Anton was drawn to her when he was sixteen. With her long hair, her sparkly blue eyes and her beautiful smile, she could have had anyone.

Natasha let go of her embrace and sat down next to her husband.

"Blaine." Anton nodded.

"Anton." Blaine nodded back. He knew how much his dad hated to be called "dad" or "father." He made it clear that every family member was to call him "Anton" or "sir." Anton Anderson used to have an angry fit every time a three year old Blaine would accidentally say "Daddy," as if he was ashamed of being a father. _'Which he probably is.'_ Blaine thought bitterly.

"You're late." Anton said.

Blaine shrugged. "I was busy at Dalton."

"Your mother was worried. You should've called."

Blaine quirked an eyebrow. His mother looked at her empty plate, not daring to look at the son she had in her arms not two minutes ago. He highly doubted that his mother was worried about his well being. "She could've done that too. She has my number."

Natasha nervously clapped her hands together. "It's all right. Let's start dinner, shall we? I'm famished." She stood up to let the chef know they were ready to eat, but Cooper beat her to the door.

"Sit down, mom. I'll let the chef know we're ready." Cooper was happy to get out of the room.

Blaine sat down opposite his mother who still didn't look at him. He could feel his phone buzz in his pocket, so he pulled it out.

"No phones at the table, Blaine." His father was on it immediately.

Blaine snorted. "You pick up your phone all the time, da-Anton." He quickly corrected himself.

Anton narrowed his eyes. "Those are important work calls. If I don't pick up, my company suffers and clients walk away. I'm sure your fuck buddies can wait."

Blaine's jaw drops and his hand curled into a tight fist. Once again his homophobic dad managed to piss him off within minutes. "Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm sleeping around."

Before Anton could say anything else, Cooper walked in closely followed by two maids who carried the food and placed it on the table. Cooper quickly walked back to Cora's side, sat down and squeezed her hand. Cora barely reacted.

Natasha put on a smile. "Let's eat before it gets cold."

They ate in silence, all staring at their plates. The tension in the air was so thick, it was almost suffocating. Blaine loosened his tie a little bit to breathe better. The whole of dinner and dessert was a quiet affair, as it had always been. After dessert had been finished, Cooper attempted to make small talk, but it was cut off when Anton cleared his throat.

"Let's get down to business." Anton leaned forward and clasped his hands together. That only made Blaine more nervous. "We're all here to talk about Blaine's future." Everyone tensed visibly.

Blaine glanced around the room and he saw that nobody was really surprised. They had apparently been dreading this conversation since the beginning of dinner. They _knew_ about something Blaine didn't and he had walked right into his father's trap.

"So, Blaine, I've talked to the principle and we're both rather pleased with your grades." Anton began. Blaine stared at him. He didn't know what to say. "We have talked about speeding things up a little bit. So, I've arranged for you to work at Anderson & Son during school breaks. You can go ahead and start your internship with us. The principle won't mind letting you graduate early so that you can start law school in January, next year."

"W-what?" Blaine's eyes widened. He was shocked.

Anton grinned proudly. "I know. This is fantastic, isn't it?" Natasha and Cooper both stared at Blaine with the same hopeful grin while Cora just stared at him unfeelingly.

Blaine felt sick. This wasn't what he wanted. To be stuck at a desk all day and solve cases for rich people who didn't deserve to be helped. He thought about Kurt's message and their last conversation. He didn't want to drag everyone into this and make a scene in front of everybody, but his dad didn't really leave him any other choice. "I can't just leave Dalton. I have obligations."

Anton snorted. "If you mean that choir club..."

"The Warblers." Blaine said. "And yes, I mean the Warblers. This is our last chance at Sectionals and Nationals. I can't just leave the guys."

"They'll get over it, Blaine!" Anton raised his voice. "You can't spend your life singing and dancing around, and they can't either. It's just a school choir! Let's focus on your future instead! You're born to do bigger things."

Blaine stood up. "But what if I want to?"

This time Anton stood up, his eyes wide in shock. This wasn't supposed to happen. Everyone in the household was supposed to follow his orders. He wasn't used to being spoken against.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life singing and dancing." Blaine's voice was calm, but his heart was racing. "I want to go to New York and study at NYADA. I want to make music. That's what _I_ want and that's what I'm going to do."

Anton scoffed, not believing a word he was hearing. "Have you gone crazy? Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity I'm giving you? People would kill to get an offer like this."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't." Blaine shrugged.

Anton strode purposefully over to Blaine, grabbed him by his collar and pinned him against the wall. His face was inches away from Blaine's. "Do you have any idea how much I've sacrificed for you? I have invested thousands of dollars into your education. I admit that I am disappointed in your being gay, but I thought I could still make a man out of you by letting you join our family business. I'm giving you the opportunity to become the best lawyer in this damn city and you just refuse?!" Anton screamed. "Like it's nothing?! Instead you'd rather go dance and sing around like a..."

Blaine pushed Anton off of him as hard as he could and Anton fell back. The older man hit a chair, lost his balance and fell over. "Like a what?! A fag?!" Anton stared at him in surprise. Natasha hurried over to her husband to help him. Cooper stood from where he was sitting a few minutes ago with Cora in his arms. They were surprised that Blaine had managed to push his father over, but Blaine didn't care. He had had enough. "It's still better than living an unhappy life like you."

"Blaine..." Natasha went to step closer to her seething son, but Blaine stepped back.

"I'm ashamed to be a part of this family." Blaine looked at all of his family members. "You all act like fucking robots. Mom, when was the last time you laughed? Like, actually laughed because you thought something was funny?" Anton got to his feet and looked hopeful at his wife. She had never failed or disappointed him, but Natasha just looked at her feet. "And, Cooper..." Blaine turned to his brother. "When was the last time you made your own choices because you wanted to? You used to tell me about wanting to move to LA and become an actor. What happened to that?" Cooper glanced at Anton, but quickly averted his eyes to the floor. "That's what I thought."

"Dreams change. Cooper woke up in time. Now it's your time to wake up and make something of yourself." Anton spoke up.

"You're right." Blaine turned around and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"Making my dreams come true. I'm going to do what I want and make something of myself." Blaine continued to walk upstairs.

"You're leaving?" Natasha asked, following behind her son. Anton followed after her. She paused when Blaine entered his room. She hadn't stepped a foot inside since he was eight years old. That was how old he was when Anton had told her he needed her to be at the office more often. Blaine mostly spent the rest of his years at Anton's brother's house. Natasha realized how much she'd missed out on Blaine's life, how she hardly knew her son, and that hit her hard.

A few minutes later Blaine reappeared with his suitcase in hand. He brushed past his parents and made his way down the staircase where Cooper and Cora were waiting.

"Blaine, don't do this." Cooper whispered, grabbing Blaine's arm to stop him.

"I refuse to become a robot." Blaine pulled his arm free and reached for the door.

"If you walk out that door, Blaine, you might as well never come back." Anton warned. "How are you going to support yourself without my money?"

"I'm going to work for it."

Anton snorted. "You won't survive through next semester without me. Don't be stupid. And stop making such a scene."

Blaine glared at his dad. "I could say the same to you. Stop making a scene, stop pretending we're the perfect family because perfect doesn't exist. We're the most screwed up family on this planet." Anton opened his mouth, but Blaine wasn't done talking. "I don't care about how many law cases you've won. All I wanted was a father. Someone who I could call 'dad'..." Anton's face turned pale. "... Who would be there for me and support me no matter what. Instead I get a workaholic who only knows how to manipulate and blackmail people, including his _own_ son. You say that being gay is screwed up, but to me _you_ arescrewed up."

Natasha stepped forward, tears shining in her eyes. "Blaine, please. You can't just leave."

Blaine's face softened a little, but he'd made up his mind. He shook his head, turned around, opened the door and walked right out. Once he was outside, he walked swiftly to his car, threw his suitcase into the backseat, started the engine and left the property at high speed.

Cooper and Cora stared in shock at Natasha and Anton. Natasha hadn't moved. She was standing in the doorway staring at the car driving away, her body tense, her hands clenched in fists. "Let's go." Cooper grabbed his and his wife's coats, glanced once more at his parents and turned away to leave.

"I expect you at the office Monday at nine, Cooper!" Anton called, as if nothing had happened. Cooper tensed a little, grabbed Cora's hand and quickly left.

Anton looked at his wife."Natasha? Are you coming inside or are you going to stand there all night?" He walked over. "Come on, sweetie. You'll get cold." He reached out to take her hand, but Natasha walked away. Anton sighed, quickly closing the door. "Don't be like this, Natasha." Natasha still didn't acknowledge his existence. "Fine. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do. I need to go disown someone."

Natasha looked up. "You aren't actually going to go through with this, are you?"

Anton shrugged. "The boy brought this upon himself. You heard him. He wants to do this all by himself and that's fine by me."

"He's our _son."_ Natasha couldn't understand how someone could be so heartless.

Anton's face hardened. "He's never been my son. We're better off without him."

"He just wants to follow his dreams. What is wrong with that?" Natasha yelled angrily.

"I gave him everything I've ever wanted. I've worked my ass off to give him a good future, but he just throws it in my face!" Anton yelled back. "He doesn't get to choose after everything I've done for this family."

Natasha stared at her husband of over 20 years. She didn't recognize the man she fell in love with at all. "I thought you didn't want to become your father."

"I am nothing like my father." Anton snapped.

"If you keep this up, you're going to lose both of our sons. Call Blaine and say you're sorry and that you will support him."

"Never."

Natasha sighed. She knew how stubborn her Dom was. There was no way of changing his mind if Anton had set his mind to something. "You're right. You're nothing like your father. You're worse."

Anton's eyes widened and his face turned red in anger. "How dare you? I am nothing like my father!"

Natasha lowered her gaze to her feet, feeling ashamed by her harsh words. Her Sub side felt the strong need to surrender and she fell to her knees. "I am sorry, sir."

Anton sighed, not exactly knowing what to do. He needed time to think about what just happened, but he couldn't just leave his wife in this submissive state. He knelt down. "Get up, Tasha." Natasha obeyed, her body giving in to his demands. "Take a shower and go to bed."

"You're not joining?" Natasha asked surprised.

Anton shook his head. "I'll join you later. I have some business to take care of." He kissed her cheek and watched her walk up the stairs and disappear into the hallway. He turned to go to his office. He needed some time to think.

Blaine drove until Westerville was far behind him. Loud music was filling the car, but he wasn't listening to the lyrics at all. He was too distraught.

He didn't realize he had been crying as he pulled the car over just off the highway. All of the tension he had gained over the years left his body in one fell swoop and he broke down completely, his head resting on the steering wheel. He'd finally broken free from his family. Blaine lifted his head. _'So what now?'_

He pulled out his phone and stared at the unread message. He wiped away the tears in his eyes, clearing his vision. He opened the message. It was from Kurt:

 _ **'Hope everything is going well. Please text me back? I'm worried.'**_

 _'Everything is as far from as well as possible.'_ Blaine thought bitterly. He didn't know what to text back, so he scrolled through his phone thinking about what to do next. He could call Wes. He'd slept over a few times after a fight with his parents. His friend would welcome him. He was just about to call him when Blaine remembered that Wes was with his girlfriend this weekend. He knew Nick and Jeff were together at Nick's place, but he didn't want to bother the happy couple either.

Blaine could call David, but he didn't feel like sharing his problems with anyone, and David would want to know why he wanted to stay at his house. This was his problem and he would solve it on his own. The Dom side of him refused to ask for help. He wasn't _weak_ like his dad said. He would prove his father wrong. He _will_ go to New York. He _will_ get into NYADA and make music. He _will_ be a superstar.

Blaine sighed, staring at the darkness around him. _'... and homeless.'_

He stared at the text from Kurt and wanted to text him that everything was fine and that he had the time of his life, but lying to Kurt felt…wrong. There was nobody more he would like to talk to right now. He wanted to call Kurt and tell him everything that had happened. Hearing Kurt's angelic voice would cheer up his world and make everything better, but he just met the Sub. He didn't want to bother him with his own problems when Kurt already had so much on his mind. Briefly Blaine wondered if Kurt would invite him over to his house if he knew that he had nowhere to go. Blaine quickly shook that idea out of his mind. _'Kurt is having a nice time with his father. What is wrong with me? I'm acting obsessed.'_

Blaine swallowed at the thought of Kurt spending time with his father, happy, smiling, laughing, and talking, because that was everything he wanted with his _own_ father. _'A real, happy family.'_

 _'But, I have family.'_ He could have slapped himself for not thinking about them sooner. He started the engine and turned the car around and drove back to Westerville.

Blaine parked his car in front of the restaurant, ignored the looks he received for parking crooked, and almost tripped while running up to the small diner. It was busy and every table was filled, so Blaine went to the backdoor. He opened it and smiled at the sight of the couple in front of him. He leaned back against the wall. "Still some food left for me?"

Aunt Rosa turned around with wide eyes. "Blaine!" She immediately ran up to him and gave him a hug. Blaine happily leaned into it and took in Rosa's familiar scent of lavender. After today, he needed a motherly hug. Aunt Rosa stepped back to take Blaine in. Blaine tried his best to act as casual as possible and greeted Uncle Robert, but of course Aunt Rosa noticed that something was very wrong.

Aunt Rosa walked over to the plates, grabbed one, filled it with food and gestured for Blaine to sit in the back room where the staff always ate during breaks. "Sit, eat." Blaine obeyed and ate in silence. Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert went back to their work.

Blaine thought he was already full from dinner at his parents' house, but nothing could ever beat Aunt Rosa's cooking, so he ate it all. Aunt Rosa appeared soon after and sat down. "It was delicious, Aunt Rosa. As always."

"Of course. It's my own recipe," Aunt Rosa grinned.

Blaine looked down at his plate. "Got some room for me this weekend?"

"We always have room for you. Don't ever think that you're not welcome here." Aunt Rosa said. "Your old room is still available, but I thought you had dinner with your parents tonight?"

Blaine nodded, but didn't say anything. "Was it that bad?"

"I think I'm homeless." Blaine said. He quickly began to explain what happened that night. Uncle Robert walked in at one point and sat down next to his wife. Blaine saw the anger on his face the further he continued his story. When Uncle Robert was angry, he looked very similar to his father. The men could be twins. "... and now I'm here."

"I wouldn't worry too much about this, Blaine. Anton tends to overreact." Uncle Robert reassured.

"My dad isn't a man of jokes, Uncle. He'll never support me going to New York, that's for sure."

"He won't, but we will." Aunt Rosa said firmly.

Blaine looked at her. "W-what?"

"Don't worry about money. You'll finish your last year at Dalton and once you graduate, you'll go to New York."

Blaine stared at her in shock. "I can't... I can't take your money, Aunt Rosa. You have a business to run and three cats to feed."

"I said don't worry about it."

"Rosa is right. We support you, Blaine. We always have and we always will." Uncle Robert spoke up, squeezing his wife's hand in support. "You're like a son to us." Aunt Rosa nodded and reached for Blaine's hand to grasp. Blaine realized he maybe had a screwed up family, but he also had a loving family who supported him no matter what. He knew that his Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert couldn't have children of their own, but they had always taken care of Blaine since he was little without being bitter or resentful towards their other family members who could have children.

"I can't just accept this." Blaine said.

"Blaine..." Aunt Rosa sighed.

"Let me at least help in the diner during the weekends." Blaine blurted out. He desperately wanted to return the favor.

Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert glanced at each other. "Fine." Aunt Rosa gave in.

"But you're getting paid." Uncle Robert added.

"I don't..."

"You will need money in New York, Blaine. If my brother really is as stubborn as I remember, you'll need some money. You can _earn_ it here."

Blaine nodded, knowing he was defeated. "Okay. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, Blaine. Rosa has made new employee outfits and they're really um... colorful."

Aunt Rosa clapped her hands happily. "Want to see them?" Blaine swallowed, looking at his uncle for help, but when Robert also looked helpless, he nodded. Aunt Rosa jumped up, ran to a cupboard and grabbed a bag. "Are you ready?"

"Honey, nobody can be ready for this." Uncle Robert grinned.

Aunt Rosa playfully slapped her husband, then she revealed the contents of her bag. A bright green, yellow and red striped shirt and tight red pants with purple shoes. "Aren't they beautiful?"

Blaine's jaw dropped, his eyes trying hard to adjust to the colors that clashed so horribly together. It was an earthquake of colors.

"It's not that bad!" Aunt Rosa frowned. She turned to her husband. "Is it?"

"I love you," Uncle Robert quickly said.

"Traitor." Aunt Rosa glared, putting the clothes and bag away. "Fine, I'll use the old employee clothes for now."

A waitress stepped into the room. "Excuse me, Mrs. Anderson, but a customer wants to thank the chef personally."

"Thanks, Annie. Tell them I'll be right there." Rosa said. Annie nodded and walked away. "I'll be right back. I'll explain to you the basics of being a waiter. Don't worry too much, Blaine. I'm sure you'll be great." She gave him a hug and walked away.

"She's right, Blaine. Wipe that worried look off your face." Uncle Robert said. He stood up. "I'm going to make a few phone calls. I'm still your guardian, so I'm going to go see if I can do something to stop Anton from disowning you."

"Uncle..."

"Are you forgetting that I, too, have a law degree? I've been practicing law for at least 20 years, thanks to dear dad." Uncle Robert smiled bitterly. He gave Blaine one last hug before returning to a small office next to the back room.

Aunt Rosa walked back in. "Ready for the grand tour? I know you already know the old place, but this tour will be from a waiter's perspective." She smiled brightly.

"Sure." Blaine shrugged and the tour began.

xxx

Burt glanced worriedly at his son. Kurt had barely touched his food and his eyes were glued to his phone. "Kurt, are you expecting a phone call?" Kurt shook his head, but said nothing.

"Well, you should eat something."

"I'm not hungry." Kurt pushed his plate away.

Burt quirked an eyebrow. He knew Kurt had issues with food, but he had finally managed to convince Kurt he could eat without being punished. His son had made progress over the summer, but when he looked at him now, Burt knew something was up. He sighed, thinking about the last day he saw his son exited about something. His sixteenth birthday.

 **May 27, 2010**

Kurt woke up with a bright smile on his face. He stretched his arms, jumped out of bed and opened his curtains. The sun was bright for a day in May. Kurt grabbed a towel and quickly made his way to his bathroom to hop into a nice, warm shower. He was so excited about his birthday. His dad had made reservations at Breadsticks for all his friends and the best part was that Adam was coming too. He couldn't wait to introduce his Dom to his friends and his dad.

Kurt took his time in getting dressed. He wanted to look spectacular because good just wasn't good enough. He slowly went through his skin routine and made sure his hair was perfectly coiffed. After that, he made his way downstairs. He could smell breakfast being cooked, his stomach grumbling loudly in hunger. He peered into the kitchen where his dad was singing and dancing, trying to cook some eggs.

"Tell me I'm dreaming?"

Burt spun around. He smiled when he saw Kurt walking in. "Hey, birthday boy. I'm making breakfast. Remember when your mother made eggs?"

"Yeah, I remember." Kurt glanced at the trashcan and saw that it was full of broken eggs. He sighed. "Dad, let me do it."

"No." Burt pushed Kurt away and sat him down at the table. "You wait and eat some toast. I'll get this done, I promise."

"By tomorrow?" Kurt teased.

"By tonight." Burt promised. He glanced at his watch. "I think your present is here, Kurt."

Kurt glanced around the empty kitchen excitedly. He loved presents. "Where?"

"It's too big to fit in the house."

Kurt gasped. "You did not."

Burt smiled, turning to his son, completely forgetting the eggs. "See for yourself."

Kurt jumped up, ran to the front door and opened it. In the driveway, stood an old, red SUV that his dad had had in his shop for the past year. He had saved it from demolition and Kurt and his dad had worked on it together during the weekends just to prove to other people that it wasn't just old iron. Burt had even named the car "Bessie." Kurt's eyes filled with tears. He knew how much Bessie meant to Burt. "You…you're giving me Bessie?"

"It's been meant for you all along, Kurt." Burt stood behind Kurt. "When I bought her, all people saw was a piece of junk. I saw the potential behind the dust and rust. I saw a diamond in the rough. It reminded me a lot of you."

Kurt jumped into his father's arms and Burt gave him a big bear hug. "Thank you dad. I know how much this car means to you."

Burt shrugged. "You mean more to me, Kurt."

"Where are the car keys?" Kurt walked around the car, examining every angle.

"First, you need to get your driver's license. Only then will I give you the car keys." Burt said firmly.

Kurt quirked an eyebrow. "I've known how to drive since I turned twelve. You taught me how. Remember?"

Burt shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything to the law. I can't let you drive and risk you being pulled over."

Kurt gave his father a deadpan stare. He put his hands on his hips and fell into full on bitch mode. "Thanks for believing in me. I can drive better than anyone in Ohio and you know it." He jutted his chin into the air just because it made him look more intimidating.

Burt chuckled. "I know. That's why I've arranged for you to begin driving lessons next week. Do you think you can pass in just 12 lessons?"

Kurt's face broke out in a big smile and he hugged his dad again. "Thank you dad. This is the best birthday present ever."

Burt opened his mouth to say something, but then he remembered breakfast and hurried back into the kitchen. The burning scent in the air already told him that the eggs were ruined, but when he saw the burned eggs with his own eyes, it made him slump in defeat in one of his own kitchen chairs. Kurt came into the kitchen, giving his dad a knowing look before grabbing a bowl of cereal and some milk. "Kurt..." Burt shook his head. He wanted to make breakfast for Kurt on his birthday. Elizabeth used to do that too. It was a thing to the Hummel family.

"Don't worry about it, dad. I love making breakfast." Kurt squeezed his dad's shoulder and asked "Coffee?"

Burt nodded. He could use some. Kurt started to make breakfast and began to hum a tune. Burt smiled. He loved Kurt humming to some song or singing in the shower.

Burt had to admit he was nervous about meeting Adam that night and letting his son go, but he hoped the Dom would be good to him and give him everything he wanted and needed. Of course Burt knew that a Bond required giving and taking. He just hoped that Kurt's future Dom would never take Kurt's beautiful voice away.

That night Burt and Kurt arrived at Breadsticks on time and they saw that all of Kurt's friends were already waiting. Burt didn't know them all personally, but he knew they were all a part of the Glee Club. Kurt jumped out of the car and hugged them all one by one.

Kurt looked around, but he didn't see Adam yet. Burt noticed Kurt's disappointment, so he squeezed his son's shoulder in comfort. "He'll come, Kurt. Let's go inside, order and wait."

Kurt nodded, but he wasn't convinced. Of course Adam promised to be there, but this was the first time he would be meeting Kurt's family and they had both only known each other for a number of days. He wouldn't be surprised if Adam backed out. He would understand, but still... He had hoped that Adam had enough courage to face his friends. He couldn't wait to introduce his future Dom to his friends and father.

"Am I too late?"

Kurt spun around. Adam stood there in an Armani suit, looking gorgeous as ever. Kurt's eyes widened at the sight. He couldn't believe Adam was wearing an Armani suit.

"Speechless?" Adam grinned, cupping his cheek. "I love my Sub speechless." He pressed cold lips to Kurt's cheek. "Happy birthday, my darling."

Kurt gulped, his head light, his hand holding the cheek that Adam had just kissed. He'd no idea what to say. "Adam... no you're right on time actually. We were just about to..."

"I see." Adam glanced at the group behind Kurt, all of whom were staring at them with curious looks.

Kurt turned around to his friends with a proud smile. His heart was beating rapidly. "Guys, this is Adam Crawford. Adam, you know Mercedes…" Kurt went on with introducing his friends and his father. Burt and Adam shook hands.

Burt squeezed a little too hard, but the Dom didn't flinch away and when their hands separated Adam never showed himself to be in any pain. _'Of course a Dom never shows a weakness.'_ Burt thought, but he still had a feeling that something was wrong about the Dom. He just couldn't quite say what. Adam looked normal, except for his wearing an expensive suit in such an everyday restaurant. The man's whole demeanor screamed that he was rich.

"Okay, let's eat. I'm starving!" Puck was already leading the way. Quinn had her arm hooked into his and was dragged inside, of course, under loud protest. The others followed them.

Kurt wanted to follow his friends, but was stopped by Adam. He turned around. "Something wrong? We better not let Puck wait too long. You know, a man and his love of food." He smiled at his own joke, but Adam didn't so he quickly stopped. He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of Adam. This night had to be perfect. He didn't want Adam to think he wasn't right or mature enough to be his Sub. _'Maybe inviting Puckerman over wasn't such a good idea.'_

"No, I just wanted to give you your present." Adam explained, pulling something out of his pocket, making sure Kurt still couldn't see what it was.

"Oh, you didn't have to..."

Adam waved it off. "Of course I did. You're mine now." A cold shiver went down Kurt's spine when he heard the _possessiveness_ in his voice. "I want to spoil you rotten. So let me."

Kurt swallowed away the lump in his throat. Nobody ever wanted to spoil him or take care of him. His heart was beating rapidly with happiness. He had finally found his soul mate. "Open it." Adam gave him a small box.

Kurt opened it and gasped at the sight in front of him. A beautiful golden necklace stared back at him. Kurt couldn't believe his eyes. _'This must have cost hundreds of dollars...'_ "I... Adam..."

"You like it?" Adam asked.

Kurt nodded. "I don't know what to say. It's beautiful."

"Turn around. I'll help you put it on." Adam ordered. Kurt obeyed and turned around. Adam locked the necklace firmly in place. "All done."

Before Kurt could react, Burt appeared again wondering where his son was. "Are you two coming or are you going to stand here all night?"

Kurt smiled. "We're coming dad. I just received my gift." He showed his dad the necklace proudly before grabbing Adam's hand and dragging him inside.

Throughout the night, Burt noticed how uncomfortable Adam was. Kurt didn't seem to notice. He was chatting happily with his friends and making jokes. Adam just looked plain bored. Burt had tried to have a conversation with the Dom, but Adam made it clear that he wasn't interested in making small talk with anybody. Puck, Sam and Artie tried to get Adam to join in on their conversation as well, but it was no use.

After an hour, Adam got up and asked Kurt to come with him. He led them outside and Kurt sighed. He knew Adam didn't like being here. He looked so out of place in a place like Breadsticks. "I'm sorry about...all of this."

Adam shrugged. "It's okay, Kurt. I just wanted to get away so that we can talk about when you want to make things official." He linked their hands together.

"What do you mean?"

"You know... get our contract as an official couple at the registration office." Adam explained.

Kurt could slap himself for his stupid mistake. _'How could I forget?'_ Every newly bonded couple had to sign a contract with rules they both agreed upon. It was mostly for the safety of the Sub so that the Dom couldn't abuse the power he has over the Sub. Kurt had never thought about that part of it before. He just thought about the romance, the feeling of belonging with someone. "Oh. Um... Maybe we can meet after school? I'm free this Friday at 3:00. I need to work on the weekends at the garage. I'm still grounded from sneaking out."

"Kurt, I need to go back to London for a few weeks." Adam said.

"Oh. When will you be back?"

"June." Adam sighed. "I was hoping that you would come with me. My plane is leaving tomorrow."

Kurt snorted. "I can't just leave. I still have school remember?"

"I forgot." Adam smiled. "You're so much more mature than that guy with the mohawk."

"Puck isn't the smartest kid, but he's okay." Kurt couldn't believe the words spilling from his mouth. Just a few months ago, Puck was a bully to Kurt, but since he had joined the Glee club, he left Kurt alone. He didn't know why he felt the urge to defend Puck to Adam.

"Well, if you can't come with me, at least call me?" Adam pouted a little.

"I will." Kurt agreed.

"We'll arrange something. I'll pick you up and we'll sign that contract."

"You don't have to pick me up. When you come back I'll have my driver's license. My dad gave me my own car today." Kurt smiled proudly, but his smile disappeared when he saw Adam's cold stare. "Something wrong?"

"I don't want you to drive."

"What?"

Adam let out a breath and his face softened. "It's dangerous out there. You don't need to learn how to drive. I'll drive you around."

Kurt scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. "Don't be so ridiculous, Adam. It's 2010, not the 1920s. I'm not a child. I can drive fine by myself."

For a moment, it looked like Adam wanted to say more, but he changed his mind. "Fine. All I want is for you to be safe. We'll meet at the registration office separately then and then continue on to our home."

Kurt melted at the words "our home." He still couldn't believe that Adam really wanted to be with him. "You've already bought a house for us?"

"You'll love it. Trust me. I've made all the arrangements and it's perfect."

Kurt wanted to disagree because he was very picky and was looking forward to the bloth of them finding a house together and then decorating it, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn't want Adam to pull back his claim. "Okay. Call me when you're safely landed in London?"

"Sure." Adam nodded. He leaned over to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you soon. I can't wait until you're mine." Another shiver ran down Kurt's spine. "Bye, Kurt."

Kurt watched him go.

"Kurt? Everything all right?" Mercedes walked up to him.

"Never better, why?" Kurt asked.

Mercedes shrugged. "Just checking up on you. Let's go inside and stop Rachel from singing."

"She's singing?" Kurt was horrified.

"You know her. She always wants to ruin someone else's day." Mercedes chuckled and they ran inside before Rachel could do anymore damage.

 **September 17, 2011 - Present Day**

After Kurt's sixteenth birthday, he had stayed glued to his phone until he heard from Adam. For a moment, Burt thought he had gone back in time when he saw Kurt still staring at his phone. The last time he did that it involved a Dom and Burt had the uneasy feeling that this was the same case now. Burt finally gave up on watching TV and turned to Kurt. "Kurt?"

"Yes?" Kurt's eyes didn't move from the magazine he was reading.

"I would like to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Well, about Dalton, your week. I haven't heard anything about it. Do you like it? Are they nice? You keep glancing at your phone. Do you expect Mercedes to call you or someone else?"

Kurt scoffed. "As if Mercedes remembers me." Burt wanted to say of course she does, but kept his mouth shut when he saw that Kurt wanted to talk more. "I have met some people who are nice. I… I think we can become friends." _'Until they realize how stupid I am.'_ He added in his mind.

Burt smiled. "That's great. It's a good thing to interact with other Subs."

Kurt tensed. He felt like running away from this conversation. He knew why his dad was asking this and Kurt didn't want to tell him the truth. That he was waiting for a call from a _Dom_. His dad would freak out.

"Kurt?" Burt frowned.

Kurt cleared his throat, his eyes quickly focused back on his magazine. "Most of them are Subs."

"What do you mean, most of them?" Burt couldn't help but raise his voice. "Kurt, don't tell me you want to be friends with a Dom." Kurt flinched away from the loud voice and Burt took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Kurt. Okay, tell me about them."

Kurt swallowed. "H-his name is Blaine."

"Wait a minute! Your floor supervisor?"

Kurt nodded. "He's been showing me around and he's really nice to me. And he's not the only one, dad, there are others just as nice as Blaine. Most are already Bonded and... they look really happy together." He looked at his hands locked on his lap. "They share the type of Bond that I wanted."

Burt's heart broke for his son when he saw him so vulnerable. He pulled Kurt close. "And you will have that. You just need to wait for the right one."

Kurt shook his head, pushing himself out of Burt's embrace. "I don't want that anymore. With anyone."

"Kurt."

"It's just not right for me. I tried it once and I won't try it twice. I just can't." Kurt wiped away the tears that threatened to fall. He was done crying. He didn't have any more tears left.

Burt nodded, letting it go. "Okay. You don't have to if you don't want to." Kurt nodded and sat back down on the chair, relaxing again. "So, your friends sound great. I would love to meet them. Why don't you invite them over for dinner Friday?"

Kurt's eyes widened in shock. "R-really?"

"Why not? That way I can see if they're worth your friendship." Burt said casually. _'And check to see that those Dom's don't have alternative motives.'_

Kurt rolled his eyes, but grinned. "I'll ask them." Suddenly his phone rang and he jumped up, grabbing his phone and reading the ID. _Blaine_. Kurt blushed. Burt frowned looking up at his son. "Um... I have to take this in my room." Before Burt could ask anything, Kurt was already running up the stairs.

Kurt closed the door behind him and sat down on the bed before picking up. "This is Kurt."

"Hi!" Blaine's cheery voice filled the room and immediately made Kurt's mood better. "For a moment I was worried you wouldn't pick up."

"I always pick up."

"I'm sorry I didn't text you back Kurt. It's been a rough day."

Kurt heard a sound in the background and he could imagine Blaine pacing around and sitting down on a chair or bed. "That bad?"

Silence.

"I don't want to ruin your day with details. But... I live with Aunt Rosa and Uncle Robert... again." Blaine didn't sound happy about that either…which Kurt couldn't understand. He loved Blaine's aunt and uncle. "What's wrong with that?"

"Not much and it's just temporary. Until I move to New York at the end of this year."

Kurt's heart beat faster at the thought of his former dream: New York. "But?"

"I have to work for it, at Rosa's Diner. Not that I mind working, but she's made a new outfit." Blaine gasped out, horrified.

Kurt chuckled. "It can't be that bad."

"Wait, I'll send you a photo."

Kurt could hear some more noise, but soon his phone buzzed, notifying him that he had received a new photo. Kurt wished he had never opened that photo. His eyes were burning at the sight of so many colors.

"Kurt?"

Silence.

"Kurt, please say something."

Silence.

"I'm calling 911."

"You weren't lying." Kurt finally broke out of the nightmare he had just awakened from. "It's horrible."

"I never lie." Blaine said, and for a moment Kurt really wanted to believe that, but he couldn't. Everyone lied.

Kurt thought about what his dad said and now was a good time to ask. "Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"My dad... He wants to meet my friends." Kurt bit his lip. _'What if Blaine says no? What if he doesn't want to?'_ "He asked me to invite you over for Friday night dinner."

"Sure, I would love too." Blaine said. "Only if you want it, Kurt."

Kurt thought about it. _'What if Blaine doesn't like it here? What if he gets angry because my house isn't a large five million dollar villa?'_ Kurt swallowed away his doubts. He always had his dad to support him. Besides, he also planned on inviting Nick, Jeff, Trent, Thad, Wes and David as well. "I would like for you to come."

"Okay. Then I'll be there. Just say when."

"Do you think Jeff and the others would like to come too?" Kurt asked softly, still afraid of rejection.

"Sure." Blaine said. "I think they would love to, but I have to warn you though..." Kurt took a deep breath. "... Jeff can act really happy when he's introduced to a new place. He once destroyed my father's art collection."

Kurt gasped. "No, he didn't."

"He did. I thought my dad's head was going to explode."

Burt pushed the door open a crack and peered inside. Kurt was lying on his bed with his phone pressed firmly to his ear and smiling. Burt closed the door and when he heard Kurt giggle, he made his way downstairs. He knew Kurt wouldn't watch The Sound of Music with him and that was okay because this was giving Burt hope. Hope that not all was lost and that Kurt would find his soul mate. Even if he had lost all hope at finding someone himself.

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry that things aren't working out between you and your dad."

"It's not your fault, Kurt." Blaine quickly said. He didn't want Kurt involved in his problems and he hated himself for making Kurt feel guilty.

Kurt sighed. "Will you be okay?"

Blaine leaned back on his bed and thought about it for a moment. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He didn't have to over think every choice he made, too afraid of what his dad would think. He had cut all ties with that side of his family and only time would tell at what price, but for now he was feeling the best he had in years. "I'll be fine."

 **June 30, 2010**

Kurt was twitching his fingers nervously. He had waited for this moment for months. Today he was getting Bonded with Adam. He looked back at his dad who was sitting in the corner. He asked his dad to be there. It felt important to him. It was like getting married, except Kurt had been dreaming about this day all of his life.

During the months that they had been separated Kurt and Adam kept in contact via emails, text messages and phone calls. Kurt ignored the looks he got from his friends when he got another text message, or the taunts from the jocks. Adam made everything better. Soon he would be out of Lima, Ohio and far away from McKinley. He would be safe.

"Kurt Hummel and Adam Crawford?" A woman opened the door to a small room. Kurt, Adam and Burt followed. "I'm Andrea Montgomery. I'll be the supervisor of your contract." The woman shook their hands and sat down behind a desk. She gestured to the six chairs in front of her for them to take a seat.

Adam grasped Kurt's sweaty hand and led him over to one of the chairs to sit down. Kurt swallowed. His heart was beating so fast he was afraid it might collapse.

"Well, I see that you both sent me your final contract choices. If you please will just read it through one last time and then we can sign this." Andrea Montgomery grabbed two contracts and laid it down in front of them. "If you don't agree with any part of this, we can still change it okay? Once you sign it, it can't be changed."

Kurt stared blankly at the contract. He'd sent his demands and needs through the mail to the registration office, just like Adam had done, but the words weren't making sense in his mind. He was just too nervous. He glanced it over quickly. Two words caught his eye. **'Absolute obedience.'** Kurt snorted. _'Yeah right. I'm not a dog.'_

"Something wrong, Mr. Hummel?" Andrea asked.

Kurt blushed at the attention. He saw Adam and his dad glancing at him. "Um, no, Mrs. Montgomery. Everything is fine." He quickly put the contract down without reading further. He wanted to get this done. He couldn't wait any longer to begin his life filled with love and support together with Adam. _'Far, far away from McKinley.'_ "I'm all done."

"You sure?" Burt whispered a little worried. He saw that Kurt hadn't paid attention to the contract at all.

"Of course." Kurt nodded.

"Me too." Adam also handed his contract back to Andrea.

"Great. I'll combine this into one, print it out and then we can sign the official contract." Andrea smiled brightly, grabbing the contracts and walking out of the room with a quick "Be right back." Apparently the woman wanted to be done as soon as she could. Kurt couldn't blame her. It was a Saturday after all and they were her last clients of the day.

A few minutes later, Andrea reappeared with the final contract. "Here we go. Just sign your names on the bottom lines. I have to warn you. I'm not saying it will happen but it's part of my job. If you want to get out of the Bond you _both_ need to sign the reversal contract."

"We won't need that." Adam said with confidence. Kurt nodded too. Andrea smiled.

Adam and Kurt both signed the contract and Andrea put it into the archives. "This is it, boys. I wish you nothing but happiness and watch out for each other, okay?"

"You don't need to worry about that." Adam smiled, pulling Kurt close. "I'll keep a close eye on him." Kurt blushed, looking shyly at the ground. He wasn't used to affection from another man. Mostly people would look at him with disgust.

Andrea led them out and said goodbye.

"I'll get the car." Adam said. "Wait here." Kurt nodded, happily obeying the order. His sub side was already kicking in.

"So, how are you feeling?" Burt asked when Adam was gone.

Kurt shrugged. "Fine, I guess." He frowned. "I just expected more."

"What do you mean?"

"Music, candles, just... romance." Kurt sighed. "I expected to feel different, but I don't." He bit his lip in worry. "Do you think there is something wrong with me? I've heard stories about people bonding and how they get all light headed and warm inside. I've heard that they feel complete immediately. But I feel... still like me."

Burt nodded. "Most people take more time to get to know each other. They've dating for a few years before they Bond. You and Adam jumped into this Bond without thinking ahead."

"Are you saying I made a mistake?"

Burt shrugged. "Only time will tell, Kurt. I've warned you that you hardly know him." He saw the distress on his son's face and quickly tried to calm him down. "But some people do jump into bonds like you and Adam and theirs turned out just fine. It's summer. Take some time to get to know him."

Kurt nodded. "Okay. Everything will be fine."

Adam came back. "Ready to go?" Kurt nodded. "Got your bags ready?"

"Yeah, they're under the staircase at home. We just have to quickly go home to pick them up."

"Wait a minute!" Burt interrupted. "You're leaving?"

"Dad, I'm Bonded. Adam is the one who's going to take care of me from now on." Kurt turned to his dad. "He bought a house and we're going to live together."

Burt stared at his son in shock. "Is that house in Lima?"

Kurt bit his lip. "No. Adam is from England, dad."

"You're moving to England?" Burt raised his voice. "What about school? What about your friends? You can't just leave."

"Sir." Adam stepped in front of Kurt. "I'll make sure Kurt graduates, but I think we can both agree that Lima, Ohio isn't the best place for him. It isn't safe. All I want is to make your son happy and to feel safe."

Burt sighed. The Dom had a point. "What about his friends?"

"I can always call them, dad." Kurt answered. "And skype them. England isn't the end of the world. I'll be fine."

"You're leaving today?" Burt wasn't ready to let his son go.

"The plane is leaving in five hours." Kurt said.

"Let's go before we're late." Adam grabbed Kurt's hand and led him to his rental car.

Burt couldn't do anything but follow them. Kurt grabbed his suitcases and he and Adam loaded them in the car. Adam sat in the car while Kurt said goodbye. "Take good care of yourself, Kurt. Okay?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I'm not a child anymore, dad."

"I don't care. You're still my kid." Burt hugged him close. Tears threatened to fall. He realized that his only child was leaving him. "Call me when you've safely landed and you know that you can always call me if something's wrong. I don't care if it's just because you don't have soda in the fridge or something just as small."

"You know I don't drink soda. It's bad for my skin." Kurt mumbled, blinking against his tears. He quickly sniffed his dad's familiar scent one last time before letting go. "You take care of yourself too, okay?" Burt rolled his eyes in a very Kurt like manor. "I mean it. No fast food, lots of vegetables, and don't worry too much. Think of your heart. I'll be fine. I'm finally free." Kurt smiled brightly and ran to the car. He waved one last time before getting inside.

Burt watched the car drive off and turn the corner, out of sight. His tears fell freely. He had this weird feeling that he had just lost his son forever. He blamed his overprotective father instincts. _'Don't be silly, Hummel._ _Kurt will be fine.'_


	6. Chapter 6

Broken Chapter 6

"What do you mean, Ames is back?" Sebastian put his hands on his hips. Rage was filling his entire body. He stared at his Dom who refused to meet his eyes. "I'm talking to you, Hunter! Look at me."

Hunter sighed, slowly turning towards his Sub. He wasn't in the mood for one of Sebastian's tantrums, especially after the rough weekend he had. He wished Sebastian would just accept it and move on, but that wasn't in the Sub's nature.

"How can Ames just walk back into this school like nothing happened?" Sebastian snapped. "He attacked a Sub, Hunter. He should be expelled."

"Well, he hasn't been." Hunter calmly replied.

"What did you say to the principle?"

Hunter shrugged. "Not much. Ames broke down and told everything himself. That it was an accident. That he didn't attack that Sub on purpose. Sebastian, calm down. Ames won't do anything."

"How do you know?" Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

"Because he understands the consequences should he try," Hunter said, checking his bag to see if he had everything for the day. "Ames won't lay a finger on any Sub's." The Dom went to move forward to grab the other boy, but Sebastian stepped out of reach.

"He threatened me. Does that mean nothing to you? As my Dom, you should've ripped his throat out."

"Like I said, he won't do it again if he knows what's good for him." Hunter hung his bag over his shoulder. "Ready to go?"

"No." Sebastian folded his arms in front of his chest. Hunter sighed, sitting down. He knew Sebastian wouldn't drop the issue. "Why are you letting this go so easily? What's going on?"

"We have an important Championship coming up, Seb. Ames is a dick, but he's an amazing quarterback. We need him." Hunter admitted. "This is our last chance at the Championship."

Sebastian's jaw dropped.

"Please try to understand. Banishing Ames from school wouldn't help anybody."

"It would help Kurt." Sebastian snapped. "It would help me. It would help any Sub across the world who has to deal with abusive Doms! We need to be safe. We're not some slaves for you to use."

Hunter's face hardened at the accusation, but he stood his ground. "Of course you're not, but there isn't much I can do."

Sebastian grabbed his bag and made his way to walk out of the door. "I'm going to the principle. You might not feel the need to do something about this, but I do. I won't let Ames get away with this." With that said, he walked out and disappeared through the hallway.

Xxx

"I'm finally going to do it!" David announced once he entered the hallway where Blaine, Nick, Jeff, Trent, Thad and Wes were waiting.

"What?" Wes asked, not really interested. He already missed his girlfriend. Having a long distance relationship was difficult.

"I am finally going to ask Angela Baxter on a date!"

"What made you change your mind?" Nick asked.

David shrugged. "I can't stop thinking about her and I'm slowly losing my mind. She's the one, you know?"

"That's great, but why are you telling us?" Blaine asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Because I need your help." David said. "Well, actually I only need Nick's help…but I thought you guys would feel more loved if I asked you all." David smiled sweetly.

"How very kind of you to think of us." Wes glared at his friend.

"What do you want?" Nick asked.

"I need your fashion advice." David pointed to his Dalton outfit. "I can't ask her out in this and all my regular clothes are just…so last year. I need new clothes. Something that screams 'Please date me'."

Nick shook his head. "I can't do that, David. It's impossible to do that with you."

David pouted. "Thanks."

Nick shrugged. "No problem."

Jeff hooked his arm into Nick's. "Oh come on, baby. You can work magic." He turned to look at the group of boys standing around him. "In fact, we should all go shopping together. We can give Nick support in this difficult task…" Jeff trailed off teasingly while smiling sweetly at David who glared balefully at him. "And I have amazing taste, so let's go today after school." He smiled brightly at the idea of going to the mall. "Besides, I could use some new clothes too." He gave Nick a kiss.

"Don't forget to bring money!" Jeff called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall to prepare for a day of class.

"I can't go. I need to study." Thad said. "I have a math test this week. Mrs. Everson threatened to make it extra hard."

"I can't either. I have…a cooking competition to prepare for." Trent looked absolutely miserable.

"Are you sure that you want to bring Jeff with us to the mall?" Wes asked. "I mean, off leash? You know what happened last time."

"I don't have a choice." Nick said. He turned away and followed his over excited Sub.

"Let's go to class." Thad said.

"I'll wait for Kurt. He hasn't arrived yet." Blaine bit his lip in worry. He hoped Kurt was okay. They hadn't spoken much over the weekend. Blaine had started his job and Kurt was spending time with his dad.

The others nodded in understanding and bid their goodbye's before walking away to prepare for the long day ahead.

Kurt soon arrived with two bags, one for his books and the other for his clothes. It was hard to leave home again. His dad had done everything to make him feel safe and he really missed being with him. At least he had a good reason to return back to Dalton…and that reason just happened to be waiting for him in the hall. "Hi."

"Hey." Blaine smiled brightly and Kurt ignored the warm feeling that spread through his body at the idea that Blaine saved that smile just for him. "How was your weekend, Mr. Hummel?"

Kurt shrugged. "Okay, I guess. And yours? I hope Aunt Rosa didn't work you too hard."

Blaine sighed dramatically. "You have no idea."

"Poor you." Kurt fake pouted in sympathy.

Blaine nodded. "So, David has some news. He's finally going to ask a girl out that he has had a crush on since first grade. He wants us all to help him out."

"How?" Kurt asked curiously.

"By going shopping." Blaine said. "Do you want to go with us? It's going to be fun."

Kurt stared at him in disbelief. He had so much homework to do and he agreed to meet Thad to have a study hour after classes but... he hasn't been to the mall in almost a year and he really, really missed it. His whole being was begging him to say yes. "I'd love to…" Kurt trailed off uncertainly.

"But?" Blaine raised an eyebrow.

Kurt sighed. "I agreed to meet Thad for an extra study hour after class and I can't let him down."

"That's okay. I'll wait for you."

Kurt blushed, looking at his feet. "You don't have to."

"I'd love too. After that, we could eat something?"

"Sure." Kurt agreed. He couldn't resist a dinner with Blaine and a shopping trip.

"Okay. A dinner date for two it is." Blaine smiled happily, already forgetting his family troubles. Kurt began to wonder if Blaine was doing it on purpose because this was the second time he said "date" to him and it just simply wasn't fair to say because it gave Kurt hope. Hope when there truly wasn't any. Blaine offered him his arm. "Let's get those bags to your dorm and start this day."

Kurt didn't want to grab the other boy's arm, if for no other reason than to just keep himself in check, but when he saw Blaine's hopeful eyes glint with gold in the sunlight streaming through the hall windows, he couldn't resist. He hooked his hand into Blaine's arm, who smiled even brighter and began chatting about random stuff.

Xxx

Travis had been looking all day for the Sub he had seen that past Friday with no such luck. He didn't see him during break hours or anything. _'Where is he hiding?'_ Travis thought, frustrated. He walked to the library to finish up his history essay that was due on Wednesday. He couldn't concentrate at all. He just had to find that gorgeous boy to ask him to be his Sub.

Travis walked through the book shelves, turning the corner when he saw him _._ There he was. His future Sub. Travis stopped dead in his tracks and stared. The boy with the beautiful blue eyes was hovering over another familiar small boy with big glasses. Next to him was Blaine Anderson. Travis clenched his fist when his dominant side took over for a moment. _'Easy, making a scene won't help you at all.'_ He took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Kurt asked. He felt bad for Thad. He'd promised to study with him and now he was dumping him for a trip to the mall with Blaine, Wes, David, Jeff and Nick.

"I'm sure. Have fun, Kurt." Thad reassured.

Kurt sighed. "I don't want to leave you alone." He glanced between Thad and Blaine, obviously torn between going to the mall with Blaine or studying with Thad, like he had promised.

"I'll be fine, Kurt. I am almost done with my Chemistry homework and then I'll wrap things up and go find Trent." Thad rolled his eyes when he mentioned his friend. "I think he might kill Seth if I leave them alone for too long."

Travis watched as Kurt and Blaine said goodbye and left the library. He glanced at the small Sub who had his nose in a book. He frowned. He knew he'd seen him before, but had no idea what his name was. _'Theo?'_

A plan formed in his head and he stepped up to the small Sub. The Sub didn't seem to notice his presence. Travis felt annoyed by the behavior. Everyone at Dalton looked up when he walked into a room. He cleared his throat to announce his presence. Finally the Sub looked up, his eyes widened and his cheeks flushed bright red when he saw Travis.

"Hi, um... Theo was it, right?"

Thad swallowed. "Thad."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's okay." Thad shrugged. He didn't expect someone like Travis to remember his name. Travis sat down and peered curiously at the books in front of Thad. His face turned to disgust once he saw the subject. "I really hate Chemistry. I'll probably fail that class."

"Really? I love Chemistry. It's my favorite. Well, after Math, of course..." Thad rambled, his face turning red just because Travis was in his presence.

Travis chuckled and stared at Thad in disbelief. "Math? Really?"

Thad shrugged. "Numbers don't lie." He shifted nervously in his chair. "Can I help you with something or...?" Silently Thad hoped that Travis would admit that he wanted to see him again and that's why he was in the library.

"Actually…" Travis began. Thad's heart skipped a beat when Travis leaned closer. "I've noticed that there is a new Sub at school."

Thad stared at Travis dumbfounded. He wasn't expecting that. "A...new Sub?" _'What does this have to do with me?'_

"Beautiful, blue eyes, chestnut hair, pale skin..." Travis wandered off with a dreamy look on his face.

"Oh. You mean Kurt?"

"You know him?" Travis perked up, his attention back on Thad.

Thad shrugged. "A little. He's in all my Sub classes. He's really nice. He's been at Dalton for about a week now, so I don't know him that well…yet."

"You know him well enough to study with him." Travis said. "I just missed him. I saw him with Blaine." When Thad didn't respond, he added, "Something going on between those two?"

Thad raised an eyebrow. He had no idea why Travis was so interested in Blaine's love life. As far as he knew, Blaine and Travis were friends. "No." He bit his lip. He wasn't blind. He saw the love eyes Blaine gave Kurt. "But, I think Blaine wouldn't say no."

"And Kurt?"

"I don't really know." Thad admitted.

"Could you maybe introduce me to Kurt?" Travis asked, laying his hand on Thad's to get his attention away from the books in front of him. Thad stared with wide eyes at their hands and had trouble breathing. He glanced at Travis, who seemed to be oblivious to Thad's reaction.

"I really would like to get to know him and show him around a bit."

Thad's brain finally caught up with what Travis was saying. _'Travis isn't here for me! He wants Kurt!'_ Thad pulled his hand back as if it was on fire. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. "I-I don't know if that's a good idea." He quickly gathered all his books. He wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

"Please, Thad, it would mean a lot to me." Travis begged.

Thad stopped what he was doing and looked at Travis. His eyes were begging him to help and he felt himself melt. He couldn't do it. He couldn't ignore Travis' request for help. "I can't today. Kurt is at the mall with a few friends."

"So, why don't we go over there?" Travis asked as if it was the simplest thing ever.

Thad frowned. He didn't like changing his plans. He loved structure and planning. "I...I don't know."

Travis smiled. "Why not? Come..." He grabbed the Sub's books. "...let's get this back to your room and I'll drive us to the mall." Thad still wasn't convinced. "Come on, Thad. Live a little. Life isn't all about studying."

"It should be." Thad muttered quietly, but Travis didn't hear him. He grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the library happily chatting.

Xxx

Trent knocked on the dorm room door impatiently. He was meant to meet Seth in the kitchen. He'd arranged something with the head of the kitchen staff so that they could practice and try different foods. That way they could pick the right dish that could win them the competition…but Seth never showed up. Trent knocked again, a little louder this time.

He tried the door handle. The door wasn't locked, so he opened it.

Trent hesitated to enter. _'It would be rude to just walk in, right?'_

"Hello? Seth?" No answer. Trent sighed. _'It's also rude to keep people waiting when you have an appointment with them.'_ So he stepped into the room.

The room was basically the same as his. It had a bed, a small desk to do homework on, and a chest of drawers for clothes. The only difference is that there was a small TV in his room with a DVR. That was forbidden at Dalton. The curtains were closed and the bed was unmade as if someone had just been sleeping in it. _'Who goes to bed in the middle of the day? Classes just ended an hour ago._ '

Trent looked in disgust at the scattered clothes that were everywhere, as if someone had been in a hurry to undress. "Seth?!" He jumped when he felt something under his feet and squeaked when he saw that he stepped on someone's underwear. _'What the hell was going on here?'_

A door opened in the corner. Trent gasped in surprise at the noise and bumped against the TV, nearly knocking it over, but he quickly grabbed the flat screen and put it back in place. Then he turned back to… Seth. A very, almost naked Seth.

Seth was only wearing a towel around his hips. His body was still wet from the shower. His hair was glued to his face and Trent saw some water droplets falling to the floor. Trent's jaw went slack, because Seth looked _really_ good _._ "You're not going to tell on me, are you?" Seth asked.

Trent looked confused, still not able to form any words or thoughts. He tried to avert his eyes to Seth's face, but it was really hard. He had no idea Seth worked out and had abs. He never looked at Seth as _attractive._ Words that came to mind when Seth was mentioned were _arrogance, self-centered, dick_. Trent shook his head to clear his mind. _'What is wrong with me?'_ He quickly looked at Seth's piercing green eyes. "W-what?"

Seth pointed at the TV as if it was obvious. "The TV?"

"Oh." Trent looked at the TV again and had forgotten for a moment that it was forbidden. "No." Trent tried to look anywhere, but at Seth. He wished the man would just put on a shirt.

Seth stared at Trent, who looked rather flustered and uncomfortable. "Are you okay? You look like you've never seen someone without clothes on before."

Trent's face turned pink, but he managed to squeak out "I'm fine."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"We were supposed to meet in the kitchen to practice for the competition." Trent said, annoyed. "You asked me remember?" Seth walked over to the night stand and glanced at his alarm clock.

"I can't believe I forgot." Seth groaned.

Trent wished Seth didn't make that sound looking like that. "I thought you wanted to win this? You can't just ask me to meet and then not show up! Is this some kind of joke?"

"Believe me, this isn't a joke. I just forgot." Seth said. "I was busy." Gesturing to his dirty room.

"With what?" Trent asked confused.

Before Seth could answer, the door opened again and a boy walked in, completely naked.

"Seth, do you know where my clothes are?" He looked at Trent who was frozen where he stood, too shocked to react.

Seth stood up from where he had sat on his bed and picked up some clothes from the floor, throwing them at the boy. "Get dressed and get out." The boy quickly ran back to the bathroom and closed the door. Seth turned back to Trent. "Sorry. You weren't suppose to see that."

Trent finally seemed to snap out of his daze and stumbled backwards. He had no idea Seth had a Sub. It was rude to interrupt an intimate moment between a Bonded Couple. "No, I-I'm sorry. I didn't know…I didn't mean to interrupt a moment between you and your Sub. Just…continue." His hand had finally reached the door handle.

Seth's voice stopped him. "What? He isn't _my_ Sub." Trent turned around in confusion. To his relief, Seth was finally putting on a shirt. "He's just a play thing."

Trent's confusion quickly turned to rage. "What?"

Seth shrugged. "I don't have a Sub, Trent, but I do have _needs_. High needs! And they don't mind. I never touch Bonded Sub's, if that makes you feel better. We help each other out, that's it. No expectations, just sex."

Before they could continue, the door opened again and the other Sub stepped into the room, with clothes on this time. He looked briefly at Trent before turning his attention to Seth. He grabbed his hand and for a moment Trent thought Seth was going to push the boy away, but he didn't. "Seth, I really had a great time, and I was hoping that we could maybe..." The boy was blushing by now. "…go out to dinner tonight?"

"I don't do dates, George." Seth pulled his hand away.

The boy looked hurt. "My name's Oliver."

"Whatever. Just get out of here." Seth gestured to his room's only exit. Oliver quickly walked to the door. Before he opened it, he looked at Trent with a hint of jealousy, before disappearing. Trent didn't missed it. _'Why would he look at me like that? He can't honesty be jealous of me after Seth treated him like garbage.'_

Trent stared at Seth in complete disgust. _'How could I have ever thought of Seth as hot?'_

Seth looked at Trent. "Don't look at me like that. Everybody does it. What about you?"

Trent folded his arms across his chest. "What about me?"

"You don't have a Dom."

Trent snorted. "So?" Seth gave him a look. "I am not sleeping around!" Trent yelled angrily. He had never been so insulted. He wasn't a slut. He still had some dignity and self-respect. "Unlike you, I actually value a bond between a Sub and Dom. I don't throw myself around like a cheap whore." Seth flinched at that. "I wait for my Dom."

"So, you're still a virgin?" Seth asked curiously, stepping closer.

Trent stepped back. He suddenly wished that Oliver was still there He could feel the door handle pressing into his back. He didn't want to talk about his love life, or lack thereof, with Seth. "I don't know what my love life has anything to do with our competition!"

"So you are...?" Seth stared at Trent in disbelief. He didn't need to finish that question because Trent knew. "No way." His eyes roamed over Trent's body and Trent had never felt so self conscious. He wasn't used to being ogled. Still, there was something different about the way Seth looked at him.

Trent had enough. "I am not discussing my private life with you. I don't have time for this. Let me know when you're serious about the competition."

"But…I thought we were going to do that today?"

"Mrs. Levinton was so nice to give us one hour in the kitchen. I've been waiting for you while you've been..." Trent tried to find a polite word, but he couldn't. "…sleeping around. The hour is up and because we missed this appointment, I doubt that they'll let us borrow the kitchen again." He opened the door and walked out.

"Trent, wait!"

Trent turned around to see Seth running towards him with his towel still wrapped around his waist. He saw a few people staring at him, but Seth didn't seem to care. "What?"

"Can I have your phone number?" Seth asked.

"Why?"

"How else am I going to contact you for a new appointment?" Seth countered back.

Trent sighed. Seth had a point. They quickly exchanged numbers. Seth opened his mouth to say something, but Trent quickly said goodbye and turned the corner. He kept walking until he reached his dorm door. He looked around to make sure Seth wasn't following. He glanced at the new number in his phone. He opened the door, quickly closed it and let himself fall on his bed.

Try as he might, he just couldn't erase the image of Seth wearing only a towel from his mind.

Xxx

"Nick, I want this one too." Jeff exclaimed happily, pulling a pair of jeans from the shelf. Nick swallowed when he saw the price.

"Jeff, honey, you've already bought five new shirts, three pairs of jeans and two pairs of shoes."

Jeff gave him a look. "Two pairs of those jeans are for you. Now it's my turn." He skipped through the shop and Nick was afraid that Jeff would buy the whole store.

Nick looked at Wes."Don't look at me, dude. You wanted to bring him along." Wes said.

"Come on, David is trying on his fifteenth pair of jeans and I swear if he doesn't buy this pair, I'll choke him with my bare hands." He led him to the fitting rooms, where they could hear David making a fuss about the clothes he was trying on.

"Where are Blaine and Kurt?" Nick asked, looking around the packed store.

Wes shrugged. "Blaine said something about wanting a new bowtie. They're in the back."

Blaine watched as Kurt searched through the new scarf collection, touching the many different silks. He knew Kurt was beautiful, but every time Kurt's eyes lit up, it made him even more attractive. Blaine was so completely captivated by the blue eyed Sub that he didn't even notice the new collection of bowties in front of his nose.

After the rough weekend Blaine had had, seeing Kurt made his feelings for him only stronger. The problem was that he had no idea how to win Kurt over. This morning he looked more withdrawn than ever and Blaine did his best to make Kurt feel welcome. So far, everything had gone great. However, Blaine couldn't change the fact that Kurt seemed more relaxed with Jeff, than with him. He took Robert's advice to heart and didn't push for answers, but it was hard to be around Kurt when all of his senses screamed at him that they were right for each other. He wanted nothing more than to make Kurt his, but he knew Kurt wasn't ready, or would ever be ready.

Blaine's eyes caught a blue scarf that would match Kurt's eyes perfectly. He reached for it, the same time Kurt did.

Kurt quickly pulled his hand away, with a faint blush on his cheeks. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Blaine takes the scarf and hold it up to Kurt's neck. "I think this would look beautiful on you. It matches your eyes."

Kurt blushed, ducking his head shyly. Suddenly his feet were really interesting. "If...you were first, Blaine."

"Actually, I wanted to buy it for you." Blaine admitted. Kurt's head snapped up and he stared at Blaine in shock. It hurt Blaine's heart that this little gesture seemed so shocking to the Sub. It was so normal for Dom's to spoil and take care of their Sub's, but it looked as if it was some type of foreign concept to Kurt. Blaine clenched his fists, but tried to remain calm. He could always make Kurt's ex Dom pay for what he had done to him, later. _'And he would pay for what he'd done to Kurt.'_ Blaine vowed silently.

"I... I can't accept that, Blaine." Kurt said softly. Blaine guided Kurt to the closest mirror and moved to wrap the scarf around his neck. At first, Kurt tensed, but when he saw Blaine had no intentions of removing the old scarf, he relaxed a little bit.

"See? I told you it would match your eyes." Blaine chuckled when he saw Kurt gape at his own reflection. "It's made for you."

"Blaine, I can't accept this." Kurt said, already removing the scarf.

"Sure you can." Blaine quickly grabbed the scarf and made his way to the cash register. Kurt followed Blaine. His eyes widened when Blaine pulled out some cash. "But…I thought your dad didn't support you anymore?"

Blaine sighed. "He sent me some money yesterday. I think he wants to buy me over…again." He couldn't hide the bitter tone to his voice.

Kurt swallowed at the thought of Blaine spending his father's money on him. _'What if Blaine's father finds out?'_ After everything Kurt had heard about Anton Anderson, he really didn't want to be on the man's bad side. "You don't have to spend money on me, Blaine."

"I can't think of a better way to spend my money." Blaine said sweetly, turning to Kurt. "Please just let me buy you a scarf. It's not a big deal."

But to Kurt, it _was_ a big deal. Nobody had ever spent money on him. Yes, perhaps his father had loaned him some money for him to go shopping once a month, but he had always worked for it. Not even Adam had bothered to buy him anything…well, apart from that necklace for his birthday that one time. Thinking back on it now, Kurt knew it was just another way for Adam to reel him in. After they were bonded though, he'd made it quite clear that he didn't want to _waste_ any money on Kurt. From that point on, the Dom had just bought the bare minimum of necessities that his Sub required.

"You okay?" Blaine wondered if he had maybe gone too far. "If you really don't want the scarf, Kurt, I won't get it for you." Kurt looked deep in thought. Kurt saw the pleading look on Blaine's face, just begging Kurt to let him spoil him and the boy simply couldn't refuse. Kurt nodded and smiled softly. If Blaine really wanted to _waste_ some money on a McQueen scarf that Kurt could never afford, who was he to say no? A smile appeared on Blaine's face in return when Kurt finally gave in and Kurt could feel his knees weaken.

When Blaine turned and walked over to the girl behind the counter to pay for the scarf, Kurt frowned seeing that he wasn't the _only_ one melting due to Blaine's smile. The girl had a faint blush on her cheeks and she brushed her fingers against Blaine's and held the fabric longer than necessary. Blaine seemed clueless and chatted back as if nothing was going on. Kurt narrowed his eyes. He tried to listen in to what was being said, but he knew that eavesdropping was rude, so he stepped back. After all he couldn't blame the girl for trying, Blaine was beautiful. _'And nice, funny, sweet and his eyes are just captivating.'_

The girl handed over a bag to Blaine which now held the scarf wrapped in crisp, white tissue paper. "There you go. You know…my shift is over in half an hour." She leaned closer. "If you're free, we can go out for a quick bite."

Blaine smiled politely. He leaned closer too. "Do you see that young man over there?" He looked at Kurt who was looking at another shelf of clothes, pretending to ignore them. The girl nodded confused. "One day, I'm going to ask him to marry me, and if he says yes I'll be the happiest man alive. Have a nice day." He quickly walked over to Kurt, leaving the girl behind with a stunned expression on her face.

Blaine reached Kurt and handed him the bag. "Here you go."

"What was that about?" Kurt frowned.

"What?" Blaine asked innocently.

Kurt glanced at the girl, who didn't appear to be stunned anymore. Now she was openly scowling at Kurt. "Why is she angry?"

Blaine shrugged. "Just having a bad day, I guess."

"That's still no excuse for dressing that badly and what is with her nose job?" Kurt sassed. Blaine stared at him in surprise. Kurt froze. He mentally slapped himself. That sounded like something old Kurt would say. _'Where did that come from?'_ He'd vowed that he would never ever let old Kurt surface again. It was too risky. He waited for Blaine to flip and attack him.

But instead of getting angry, Blaine laughed. Kurt looked at him, frozen on the spot. He couldn't believe Blaine was actually laughing. He was so used to getting punishments for his big mouth that it was unfamiliar to Kurt.

Blaine wiped away the tears from his eyes. "Nose job? You can see that from here?"

Kurt shrugged. "It's a really bad one." He blushed and Blaine beamed at him. He should really control his mouth before Blaine snapped.

Blaine was about to say something, but was interrupted by Nick and Jeff arguing out loud.

"This is 500 dollars, Jeff! It's too much." Nick said, holding three pairs of jeans and a few shirts.

Jeff pouted. "My birthday is next week and unless you plan on sneaking us out of school to take me to France, Nick, I really want those clothes. I haven't had anything pretty to wear for months." He put his hands on his hips. "What is going on with you, Nick? You've never refused to go shopping before and today you didn't want to go. You always want to go shopping."

"Nothing is going on with me." Nick said, but even Kurt wasn't convinced and he barely knew the Dom. Luckily for Nick, Jeff was easily distracted when he saw Kurt holding a bag.

"What have you bought?"

"A scarf. Blaine bought it for me." Kurt blushed shyly, staring at his feet.

"Really?" Jeff curiously peered inside the bag and gasped. "But...it'll match your eyes perfectly. Show me where you found it. I might want to buy one too."

Nick sighed, watching Kurt and Jeff walk away. He stared at the clothes Jeff picked.

"You haven't told him yet, have you?" Blaine asked.

"I can't, Blaine. I just can't." Nick shook his head. "You know Jeff, B. He loves fancy clothes, expensive cars and he wants to live in a big mansion with a swimming pool."

"Says who?"

"Jeff! We talked about our future yesterday." Nick looked as if he were about to throw up. "I can't tell him the truth. I can't lose him."

"You will lose him if you keep lying to him."

"I'm not lying to him." Nick denied. "I am just keeping something from him."

"That's the same thing, Nick." Blaine gritted his teeth. He knew what a lie was. Hell, Blaine had been living a lie all his life! He had pretended to be straight during his years of public school so that his father's reputation wouldn't be ruined. Imagine the press's surprise when they saw Blaine on a date with a boy on his fifteenth birthday. "Tell him."

"He would leave me." Nick whispered fearfully.

"He would not." Blaine responded back, gently. "Nick, Jeff loves you. Just tell him the truth. Tell him your parents want you to Bond with someone else. Eventually, Jeff will start asking questions. You haven't been yourself lately."

Nick glanced at Jeff and Kurt who were giggling and trying on scarves. He grabbed Blaine's arm and led him further away so that they couldn't be overheard. "You know that a Dom is supposed to take care of their sub. How the hell do I tell Jeff that I'm supposed to Bond with a complete stranger? I've talked to my parents, B. They won't back off. They need the money the Arranged Bond will bring. I need to help my family."

"Nick..."

"No." Nick shushed him. "I know Jeff wants to take the next step." He blinked away his tears. Crying was showing weakness and his Dom side wouldn't allow him to break down in a store full of people. "I just...I can't give Jeff the life he wants, the life he _deserves."_

"You can't keep lying to him either."

"I can't tell him the truth either." Nick stated. "I…I want to give him everything."

"How long do you plan on keeping this up?" Blaine asked.

"As long as possible." Nick said resolutely. "I know he'll find out sometime. He'll be mad, disappointed at falling for such a useless Dom..." Blaine went to protest, but Nick raised his hand to stop him. "To be honest…I don't deserve him, B. Jeff is like an angel. He's everything good in this world. He's like a pure, bright light." Blaine softened a little. It was obvious his friend loved Jeff to the moon and back. He shouldn't be so hard on him. "Jeff saved me. In more ways than I care to share. I can't lose him now. I need him. I know he'll leave me and move in to another Dom when he finds out that I can't offer him a future together, but let me have him for myself just one more year, B. Please, don't say anything."

Blaine sighed. "I don't agree with how you're handling this, Nick. I care about Jeff too." Nick growled possessively. "As a friend." Blaine added quickly. "I still think you should tell him. Jeff will understand. I'm afraid that this thing will blow up in your face and hurt you both, but I also understand that this isn't any of my business."

They heard footsteps and Nick saw that Jeff and Kurt had come back. "Ready to go?"

Jeff frowned, curiously glancing at Nick. "Sure. I'm ready."

"Well, I am _not!_ " David appeared behind their group wearing a purple jacket, tight black jeans, and purple shoes. "Look at what Wes has forced me to wear."

Wes made an appearance behind his friend and deadpanned. "You practically begged me to choose that jacket, David! You said it made your eyes stand out more."

Jeff sighed. "I am so tired of this. David, we've already gone to every store there is. Just pick something!"

"You can't just pick something for a first date, Sterling!" David snapped. Nick automatically stepped in front of Jeff. "A first date sets the mood for the rest of the relationship. If it sucks, it's never going to work out."

"An outfit isn't the most important thing about a date, David." Blaine said calmly to his slightly panicked friend.

"Oh, that's right!" David perked up. "You're like a dating expert, aren't you Blaine? You dated a lot last year. How many guys exactly?"

Blaine blushed, clearing his throat and praying that Kurt didn't hear that. Last year was a tough year for him, mostly because of his father, and he had dated quite a few guys just to annoy his dad. It didn't mean anything though. He was just a little bit lost last year. Lonely. He wanted love. Every boy he had ever dated had faded in comparison to Kurt. "I didn't."

David narrowed his eyes. "Really? Should I name them all?" Wes quickly shoved him so that David would stop teasing. David glared at Wes, but smiled when Wes nodded to Blaine's left.

Blaine turned around. Kurt was searching madly through the racks. Blaine let out a sigh of relief that Kurt was distracted and probably hadn't heard anything about his dating past.

Kurt appeared to be picking something from the rack, looking it over. He nodded in what seemed to be satisfaction before he walked back over to their group with a dark green jacket in hand. "Try this one." He handed David the jacket. David took off the purple one he was wearing and shoved it at Wes. David hesitantly tried on the green jacket and surprisingly, it fit him like a glove.

Blaine beamed at Kurt. "I didn't know you knew about fashion."

"Oh, I..."

"It's amazing!" David pulled Kurt firmly into a hug. Kurt tensed, but David didn't notice. He was too happy with his outfit. "Do you think she'll fall for me now?" He let go of Kurt, who let out a breath of relief.

"Definitely." Kurt nodded.

"Great, I'll get changed and then we can eat?" David suggested.

"Finally! I'm starving." Jeff groaned.

While they waited for Nick and David to pay for their new clothes, Kurt turned to Blaine. "So, you dated a lot, huh?"

"Oh, you heard that, did you?" Blaine felt his heart sink to his shoes. _'Stupid David and his stupid mouth.'_

Kurt frowned. "I knew you dated a few guys. You yourself have said so, remember?"

Blaine remembered that day before last weekend, but he hadn't wanted to tell Kurt exactly how many guys he'd dated. It wasn't important. Still, he felt the need to tell Kurt the truth. "I was lonely, last year. I just wanted someone to love. Like everyone. It wasn't a big deal, just dates. Going to the movies, going out to dinner, and holding hands in the hallway." Blaine rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Does that change anything?"

"Of course not, but it's all in the past right?" Kurt asked, biting his lip.

Blaine followed the movement, staring at Kurt's pink lips and all he wanted to do was kiss him right there, in the middle of the mall. He wanted to tell Kurt how he felt, declare his undying love to him and beg him to be his forever. Blaine swallowed away those words and pushed those ridiculous, romantic, over-the-top thoughts away. "Definitely in the past."

"Okay. Let's eat." Wes said.

"Well, actually, I wanted to take Kurt to..." Blaine began. He was looking forward to taking Kurt out to dinner again and just talking some more between themselves. He wanted to get to know the Sub better and he couldn't do that surrounded by people, even if they were his friends.

"Don't keep Kurt all to yourself, Blaine." Jeff hooked his arm with Kurt's. "We all want to get to know him better."

"Really?" Kurt asked surprised.

"Of course!" Jeff smiled brightly. "Don't worry. You can ask me anything you want to know about me too."

"But..." Blaine stuttered, but Jeff was already leading Kurt away. Wes, David and Nick all smiled at Blaine knowingly. "Shut up." Blaine quickly followed Jeff and Kurt.

Jeff stopped in front of a small ice cream place. "This place has the best coffee and ice cream in the world. Their cappuccino is to die for and don't even get me started on their muffins." Jeff was practical drooling.

"I'm sure Kurt wants to have a proper dinner, Jeff." Blaine said.

Kurt shrugged. "I really would like to try some."

Blaine put on a smile, immediately changing his tune about the small ice cream cafe. "Okay, let's eat." He took Kurt's hand and led the way inside.

Nick, David and Wes all shook their heads at his odd behavior. "Do you think he's trying too hard?" Nick whispered.

Wes shrugged. "Who knows?"

"Just as long as he doesn't overdo it. I've never seen Blaine like this." David said.

"Says the love expert." Wes snorted, quickly walking inside before David could punch him.

The cafe was filled with people and it was hard to find a seat.

"Blaine!"

Blaine turned around and saw, to his surprise, Travis and Thad sitting in the back in a corner. Travis walked towards him. "Travis, Thad?" The Sub blushed shyly. "What are you two doing here?"

"Shopping, just like you." Travis nodded a quick greeting to Nick, Jeff, David and Wes when they arrived, also with confused expressions on their faces. They all knew that Thad _hated_ shopping. He'd rather be surrounded by books.

"I thought you had to study, Thad?" An angelic voice asked behind Blaine. Travis had wondered where his angel was hiding and there he was, behind Blaine. Blaine moved aside a bit, and Travis admired the beautiful sight in front of him.

"I... um..." Thad stuttered. He was a terrible liar. He could feel the eyes of his friends on him and his cheeks heated up.

"That's my fault. I asked Thad to go shopping with me. I needed a new suit and asked for his advice." Travis said. Thad beamed at him. His heart skipped a beat, glad that Travis covered for him. The others were still looking skeptical. They couldn't remember Thad having any sort of fashion sense. Travis stepped towards Kurt. "I don't think I've ever met you before. I'm Travis Brown." He stretched his hand out to shake Kurt's.

Kurt hesitated a bit. The Dom was tall and he could see the firm muscles through the tight shirt he was wearing. It was obvious that he was a strong Dominant. _'He wouldn't try to hurt you in a room full of people, Kurt. Man up.'_ He shook the Dom's hand. "Kurt Hummel."

Blaine glared at their clasped hands. Travis was holding on to Kurt's hand way too long for his liking. Once they finally, _finally_ , let go, Blaine was quick to take Kurt's hand into his own again. "If you'll excuse us, Travis. We were just going to find a seat."

"Oh, that's okay." Travis said smoothly. Kurt liked the new Dom. He looked nice and polite. "Why don't you take a seat with us? Thad and I were just about to order something."

"I'll take the seat by the window!" Jeff yelled, pulling Nick along to take the seat by the window. Thad, David and Wes quickly sat down too. Kurt sat down, staring at the menu and listening to Jeff's tips about what coffee, ice cream and muffin were the best to order. Blaine went to sit next to Kurt, but Travis quickly took that seat.

"Sorry, Blaine. Too late." Travis smiled smugly. Blaine clenched his hands into fists. He really wanted to punch the smug boy in the face. For the first time in his life, Blaine didn't see Travis as a friend, but as an enemy.

Blaine gritted his teeth and turned a tight smile on Kurt. "What do you want? I'll pay."

"You don't have to."

"Don't worry about it. I want to." Blaine reassured, sitting down in the remaining seat. Kurt looked at the menu.

"I recommend the strawberry ice-cream with a lemon cappuccino." Jeff advised. "You really have to try that, Kurt. It's delicious."

Wes rolled his eyes. "Not everyone likes what you like, Jeff."

Jeff raised his eyebrows. "Of course they do. I have awesome taste."

"I couldn't agree with you more." Nick wrapped his arm around Jeff's shoulder and pulled him closer to his side. Jeff blushed.

"I'm going to throw up." David exclaimed.

"You're just jealous." Jeff piped up. Before David could respond to Jeff's remark, which would most likely lead to an endless argument ending with none of them having ordered anything, Thad spoke up.

"I think I'm going to order the banana cake with the chocolate cappuccino." Thad said.

Soon everyone was telling their drink and food orders to Blaine, who somehow ended up being the designated one to put in their order at the front counter. Blaine had no idea how he was meant to remember it all, but he threw one last glare Travis' way who was sitting way too close to Kurt, before getting out of his chair and walking over to the counter.

The others picked up their discussions after Blaine had gone.

"So, Kurt, where are you from?" Travis turned his attention to the Sub.

"Lima."

"Brothers? Sisters?"

Kurt shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like talking about himself or having attention being drawn to him. "No, it's just me and my dad."

"Oh." For a moment, Travis didn't know what to say. He was raised in a lovely family. His parents were still together. He quickly changed the topic. "So…how are you liking Dalton so far?"

"It's okay. The classes are challenging, but everyone is nice." Kurt's mind briefly went to the Dom who had pushed him against the wall, but he quickly shook his head to clear his mind again. He was perfectly safe at Dalton.

"Ah. Yeah. They're okay, I guess." Travis shrugged. He was popular, so he didn't have a problem with anyone. "How did you meet Blaine?"

Kurt told Travis about his first day. "…and since then he's been showing me around. How do you know Blaine?" Kurt had wondered why Blaine had never introduced him to Travis. The Dom was friendly enough and it was obvious they weren't strangers. Travis had greeted Blaine like a friend.

"Oh, I'm the boxing champion of Dalton." Travis said proudly. "I taught Blaine a few things."

Kurt's eyes widened. He had no idea that Blaine could box. He glanced at Blaine who was impatiently waiting by the counter. He couldn't imagine Blaine hitting anything. He shivered. "Blaine can box?"

Travis nodded nonchalantly. "Of course. When he came to me, he had lot of suppressed anger." He saw Kurt flinch at the word "anger." He knew Sub's had a passive nature and hated fighting. He smiled. _'Maybe I can still change things to be in my favor.'_ "Yeah, it's no secret Blaine has some pretty serious daddy issues. He doesn't talk about it, but if you bottle everything up, you eventually blow up, and naturally the one to receive those blows are the ones closest to him." He leaned closer. "Don't let his smile blind you, Kurt. Always watch your back."

Kurt swallowed, unable to move. He felt sick.

Blaine made his way over with a tray full of food and drinks. His eyes burned with rage when he saw Travis leaning into Kurt's space. He put the tray not so gently down on the table, spilling hot liquid from one of the coffees on Travis' hand. The Dom jumped up, waving his burned hand in the air. "Oops." Blaine smiled sweetly and sat down. Travis glared at him. "Dig in, guys."

Kurt grabbed his order from the tray and listened to Wes and Jeff discussing the Warbler set list. He glanced a few times in Blaine's direction and noticed that Blaine looked different. He sat stiffly in his seat, with tense shoulders and his hands were clenched into fists as if he was trying his best to not lash out.

It had never crossed Kurt's mind that Blaine could be _aggressive_. He had been nothing but kind to him, but maybe Kurt had been wrong. _'I've been wrong before. Adam was nothing but kind to me in the beginning too.'_

Kurt shuddered. He had no idea what to think anymore. All he wanted to do was to go home and be safe in the arms of his dad. He wanted space. He needed to clear his mind.

The ride back was silent. Blaine tried to make conversation, but Kurt was closed off, staring out of the window and Blaine had no idea if Kurt was even listening. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Kurt had been distant ever since Travis had talked to him at the café and had barely touched his food. When they got back to Dalton, he would be having a talk with Travis. Blaine wouldn't accept _anyone_ hurting Kurt.

When Blaine parked his car, Kurt jumped out quickly, mumbling something about homework as he ran inside. Blaine sighed, turning off the engine. He had no idea what he had done wrong. Everything was going great until…

A red Mustang pulled up and parked next to him. Blaine looked over, watching and waiting until Travis and Thad had stepped out before he got out of his own vehicle and rounded on Travis.

"What the hell did you say to Kurt?!" Blaine roared, clenching his hands into fists. He was ready to beat Travis into the ground. Boxing champion or not, Travis was going down.

"Me? Nothing." Travis said innocently.

"Really? Because he barely talked to me on the way back to school. He didn't even look at me!"

"I can't help that you're a terrible conversationalist." Travis replied.

Blaine rushed up to Travis and pushed him against his car. "I don't know what you're playing at, but leave Kurt alone. He's _mine!"_

Travis easily pushed Blaine off of him. "Really? I don't see a ring on his finger or a claim. He's fair game."

"He's not a game." Blaine hissed.

"He's not to me either." Travis said.

The two Dom's stared each other down, trying to figure the other one out. To an outsider, it looked like they were about to fight. Thad shifted nervously from one foot to the other. He hoped Wes, David, Nick and Jeff would be arriving soon. He wasn't strong enough to separate the two if they were going to fight.

"Listen, Blaine. I really like Kurt." Travis said calmly.

"You don't even know him."

"And you do?" Travis asked. Blaine gritted his teeth. The boy was right. He barely knew Kurt. "I can see that he's been hurt in the past. I won't hurt him."

Blaine snorted sarcastically. "Kurt and I were doing fine before you talked to him. Now he's closed off again. Saying whatever you said has made him shut down and now he's chasing away his friends. That is the same as hurting him. Now again, I ask, what did you _say_ to him?"

"Not much." Travis thought about the expression on Kurt's face after their talk. _'Maybe I did go a little too far.'_

"Sure." Blaine narrowed his eyes. "Stay away from him. Next time I see you with him, I won't be so nice."

"He's a free Sub, Blaine. You don't get to decide who he wants."

Blaine cursed under his breath, walking away. He planned on finding Kurt and making things right again.

Xxx

"There you are."

Kurt turned his head, his heart racing, but when he saw Sebastian Smythe standing there, he relaxed and leaned back against the wall. It was cold outside and Kurt had been sitting there for hours, trying to avoid Blaine.

Sebastian cocked his head. "Hiding from someone?" Kurt didn't answer. He just stared at the darkening sky. Sebastian walked around the bush, inspecting the bench for dirt before sitting down next to Kurt. He'd been in the principal's office all day discussing Ames case. Sadly, the principle didn't see any problem and his protests were futile. "You okay?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know."

"Me neither." Sebastian sighed.

A comfortable silence fell between the two subs while they pondered each of their problems. Sebastian knew Kurt wasn't going to speak first and he had things to discuss with him, so he broke the silence. "Ames is back."

Kurt turned his head slowly towards Sebastian and stared at him in confusion. It took a while before he remembered who Ames was. He shivered when he remembered. "W-what?" Kurt asked fearfully, breathlessly. "But I thought your Dom would take care of it?"

"Apparently my Dom is an idiot. Big surprise there, I know." Sebastian rolled his eyes. He still hadn't talked to Hunter and he wasn't planning to anytime soon. "Football is a big thing here and safety for Sub's just…isn't." He stared at Kurt, expecting for him to freak out and run away, but the Sub was still. If Sebastian hadn't known that Kurt was human, he would've thought that he was a statue. "Kurt?"

"I have nowhere to run to." Kurt said softly and Sebastian saw tears in his eyes. "Wherever I go, there will always be Dom's who want to command me, own me and destroy me. I am tired of running, Sebastian. I just... I just can't anymore."

"Ames won't ever harm you, Kurt. I'll see to that myself."

"How? When will a Dom ever listen to what a Sub has to say?" Kurt sniffed.

"Well, Hunter _mostly_ listens to me." Sebastian scoffed. "He's just a stubborn ass." Kurt gasped. He couldn't believe Sebastian would disrespect his own Dom like that. Sebastian grinned. "Albeit a _hot_ ass, but still. He's as stubborn as a mule."

Kurt's lips twitched up in a smile. It was obvious that Sebastian was really in love with his Dom. "You love him."

Sebastian looked at him in surprise, but then his face softened. "I do." Kurt stared up at the sky again. Sebastian was again reminded of his old self. When he had first arrived at Dalton, he, too, was damaged, lonely and scared. He couldn't let Kurt remain that way. It would eat away his soul until there was nothing left. He had to help Kurt. "You should talk to someone about it, Kurt." Kurt turned back to him, his eyes confused. "Bottling everything up, it'll destroy you. Trust me, I've been there."

"You...?"

Sebastian nodded. "It was a long time ago."

"How did you..."

"Survive?" Sebastian guessed. "I met Hunter and found someone to talk to."

Kurt swallowed. "I can't. I won't."

"I understand, Kurt, but you deserve someone who loves you. You can't let him win."

"I don't think I'm ready... yet." Kurt sighed. "I wasn't always like this, Sebastian. I was..." He stopped when Sebastian quite suddenly jumped to his feet.

Sebastian saw the look of confusion and sighed. "Look, I…I'll make sure that Ames doesn't bother you, but…when I say you have to talk to someone, I don't mean me."

"What? But..."

"Let me make something really clear." Sebastian interrupted. "I don't do feelings."

"You don't do feelings?" Kurt asked confusedly, but he couldn't help giving Sebastian an amused look, because the Sub was really… _weird._

"I don't." Sebastian stated a little petulantly. "I hate feelings. I don't like them and I don't talk about them with anyone. I don't _share_ things."

"But…you just said that you love Hunter. _That_ is a feeling."

"What I mean, _Hummel..."_ Sebastian drawled, clearly annoyed. "…is that if you want to talk about feelings, you'll have to find someone who has them. I just came to warn you about Ames." He straightened his jacket. "And I've done that. If you ever tell anyone that we had this discussion, I'll deny it. After all, I have a reputation to uphold." He turned around and began to walk away.

"Sebastian?" Kurt called after him. Sebastian stopped. "Thank you." Sebastian walked inside. Oddly enough, Kurt did feel better. He stood up and followed Sebastian inside.


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N: Big thanks to my beta Emerly Felton, this story would be nothing without her.**

 **Warnings: flashback, violence.**

 **July 1, 2010**

"Can you _please_ stop singing?!" Adam growled, slamming his hand against the steering wheel of his vehicle in frustration. Kurt nearly jumped out of his seat at his Dom's sudden outburst. He had innocently been singing along with the radio ever since they had started driving after they had arrived in England. He couldn't believe he was in London. He had never been out of Lima.

Kurt scoffed. Ever since they had arrived in London, Adam's whole demeanor had changed. He had gone from nice and patient to cold and distant. "I like singing and there's nothing wrong with Beyoncé."

"It's not _her_ voice that annoys me." Adam sneered derisively, taking a left turn.

Kurt quirked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"It's your squeaky, girly voice that annoys me." Adam snapped. "It's like listening to a dying cat." He turned up the volume on the radio.

Kurt opened his mouth to protest, but he could feel Adam's anger, so he quickly shut his mouth. Instead, he stared out of the window. Adam wasn't the first person who commented on his voice. Having Rachel Berry in the same Glee club wasn't good for your confidence either. He was used to it. He'd been bullied his whole life, after all. He just didn't expect Adam to be so mean.

Suddenly, the car stopped and Kurt was shaken from his thoughts. He stared at a huge gate.

"Are we...?"

Adam nodded. "Welcome to Crawford Estate." His lips twitched upwards, but his smile never reached his eyes. They remained cold as ice.

"This is ours?" Kurt gaped in shock.

Adam nodded. "It's already decorated, so everything is settled there."

Kurt stared at the house, avoiding Adam's eyes. He had been looking forward to decorating their first house _together_. _'What if I don't like it?'_

Adam pulled the car into the garage and stepped out. Kurt followed and began unloading his suitcase from the back of the vehicle. Adam didn't bother to help and walked up to the door to unlock it.

"It's huge." Kurt dragged his heavy suitcase and bags behind him. It was only then that he realized he didn't know what Adam did for work. It must pay well if he could afford such an estate.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you've plenty of time to clean it all." Adam turned the key. Kurt stared at him, unsure what Adam meant by that. Then he shook it off. It was probably a joke. Adam could easily hire someone to clean, but the tone of Adam's voice was serious. "Come. I'll give you a tour."

The mansion had six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a ball room…Adam explained his mother used to throw parties in this house every weekend…a living room, a den, a drawing room, a lounge room with a pool table, a kitchen, and a dining room. Kurt went to walk to a door at the end of the hall, but Adam stopped him.

"I'd rather you not go in there, Kurt."

"Why not?" Kurt asked playfully with a slight smile on his face. His hand was already on the doorknob, ready to turn it and take a peek inside. Suddenly, he felt a strong hand around his arm and he was slammed back against the wall. He let out a cry of pain when his back made contact with the wall. He bit back the tears and stared at Adam's face. There was no trace of his kindness left. His Dom was filled with anger.

"I said _no_. Are you deaf?"

Kurt swallowed. He was terrified. "N-no. I'm sorry. I was just curious."

At first, Adam didn't seem very happy with that answer. He stared at Kurt in anger for a few seconds longer, but apparently decided to let it rest. "It's my work office. I don't want you to go in there. Ever. Understand?" Kurt nodded quickly, not daring to ask why he wasn't allowed to enter that room. "Good boy." Kurt's body reacted to the praise and relaxed.

 _'Damn Sub instincts'_ Kurt cursed.

"Now, go put your bags away. Once you're finished with that, start cooking. I want to eat within the hour." Adam said. It sounded like an order.

Kurt hesitated. "But... Adam, I..."

"Sir."

"…What?"

"You are to call me Sir. I am your Dom after all. It's about time for you to show me some respect." Adam responded coldly.

Kurt frowned. Adam had been fine being called by his name so far. Now he wanted to be called something different? Kurt wanted to rebel and stubbornly call him Adam, but his Sub side was screaming, almost _begging_ him to obey.

"Sir." The word sounded weird coming from his mouth, but Adam nodded his approval. "I thought we were going out for breakfast. With this being our first day together as a bonded couple... I thought it was going to be special."

"It _is_ special, Kurt." Adam said calmly. "I didn't want to share it with other people. Just call me selfish, but I want you all to myself for awhile." He smiled, but there was something off about his eyes. Kurt managed a weak smile. "Now, go make breakfast and I'll be in the kitchen in an hour. I have to make a few phone calls for work." He opened the door and closed it behind him.

Kurt quickly turned around, ran back to his bags and dragged his stuff to the bedroom that Adam said was theirs. In the middle of the room, there was a large bed. Next to it was a giant walk in closet and a bathroom. Kurt sighed, letting himself fall on the bed. He had everything he had ever dreamed of. He was Bonded. He was finally out of Lima and he lived in a huge mansion. Still, it felt... empty.

Adam hadn't exactly been friendly since they had arrived. Kurt was in need of hearing a friendly, familiar voice. He grabbed one of his bags, turned it upside down and let the contents fall on the bed. He ignored his haircare products and grabbed his phone. Adam hadn't liked it when he had emailed his friends during the flight, so he had hidden his phone away. He looked through his favorite contacts and tapped his father's name.

Kurt was greeted with a yawn. "Dad?"

"Kurt." Another yawn. "Hi, bud. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Kurt frowned, glancing at his watch. It was 7 AM. It wasn't late. Why did his dad sound so exhausted. _'Oh.'_ Kurt mentally slapped himself. He had completely forgotten about the different time zones. "Sorry that I woke you, dad. I completely forgot."

Burt yawned again and Kurt imagined his dad wiping the sleep out of his eyes. "It's 2 AM here, Kurt." Silence. "How's England? Is everything okay?"

Kurt wanted to talk with his dad about Adam's strange behavior, but he quickly swallowed his words. He'd convinced his dad to meet Adam and then to let Kurt bond with him and move to England. He couldn't complain now. He agreed to the Bond despite his father's warnings. He couldn't run back to his dad like a cry baby. It was time to grow up. Besides he didn't want his dad to worry and have another heart attack.

So Kurt told Burt that England was beautiful, what he had seen of it so far anyway. He described the mansion and lied about how nice Adam was.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Burt asked.

Kurt bit his lip so that he wouldn't tell him what was really going on. He nodded, then realized his dad couldn't see him, so he answered "Yes, dad. I'm fine." He glanced at his watch and saw that he had almost been talking to his dad for an hour. He still had to make breakfast for Adam. He jumped to his feet. "I've got to go, dad. I have to c... I mean, Adam is going to take me out for breakfast."

"Okay. I'm glad you're doing okay, Kurt." Burt said softly. Kurt swallowed. He felt his eyes sting and quickly blinked back the tears. He was far from fine. "Call me again, but not so late next time. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye dad."

"Bye, son. I love you."

"I love you too." Kurt whispered, quickly ending the call because he didn't think he could hold back his tears any longer. He didn't want his dad to hear him cry. He missed his father so much already. Kurt got up, wiped away his tears and walked downstairs to prepare breakfast.

 **Present Day - September 20, 2011**

Jeff nervously paced in front of Nick's door. He folded and unfolded the piece of paper he was holding in his hands. He couldn't believe this was happening. This could be the solution for their future together. It was no secret that Jeffrey wanted to bond and he thought he had made it quite obvious to Nick, but the Dom was still holding back from taking the plunge for some unknown reason. It was almost Nick's birthday and he would be 18 soon. The perfect age to begin a future together, build a house together and start a family.

Jeff had been a good Sub. He knew that. He stared again at the paper in his hands. _'What if he says no? What if Nick didn't want to go? Don't be silly, Sterling. He's been dating you for 8 months, remember? Why wouldn't he want to go?'_

Jeff took a deep breath and raised his fist to knock on the door. Before his fist hit the door though, it opened and Nick almost bumped into Jeff. Nick smiled when he saw Jeff. "Hey, I was just about to come find you and walk you to breakfast." Nick leant forward and gave him a quick kiss on the mouth. Jeff didn't respond. Nick's eyebrows furrowed. "Something wrong?" Nick asked worriedly, his thoughts immediately went to his secret. _'What if Jeff found out somehow?'_

"No, I... I just wanted to ask you something."

Nick frowned. Jeff was never shy around him. "Sure, you know you can ask me anything." Jeff's behavior was beginning to unnerve him. He noticed Jeff was holding something, so he gently pried it away from his Sub and studied the paper. He relaxed immediately.

"I wondered... Okay." Jeff sighed. "Dalton is organizing a Christmas Ball this year, only for seniors and I wondered if… Maybe…"

Nick smiled. His Sub was adorable when he was nervous.

"Well, if you wanted to... I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't go." Jeff bit his lip. "It's lame anyway." He looked at Nick expectantly, waiting to see if Nick would protest.

Nick shrugged. "It's probably really lame and boring."

"Oh." Jeff's shoulders dropped in disappointment.

Nick couldn't hide his smile anymore. It was obvious Jeff really wanted to go to the Christmas Ball, and as always, he couldn't deny his Sub anything. "Jeff," Jeff looked up. "It would be an honor to go to the ball with you. Would you like to go with me?"

Jeff squealed, jumped up and pulled Nick into a hug. "I thought you'd never ask!" He let go.

"Oh I can't wait to buy matching suits."

Nick's smile faltered. "…Matching suits?" He swallowed anxiously.

"Of course, silly! We have to look absolutely fabulous." Jeff hooked his arm into Nick's.

"Let's go eat some breakfast. I'm starving."

xxx

"We really need to hurry up and get some new members, you guys." Wes said, chewing on a piece of bread.

"We know, Wes." David sighed tiredly. His friend simply wouldn't shut up about the Warblers and auditions.

"Then do something about it." Wes glared. "Actually, the both of you…" Wes turned his glare onto Blaine as well who just stared absently into his bowl of cereal. David glared at Wes. "...could do something about it."

"It's not our fault. We're preparing for our exams." David said. "My dad would kill me if I failed this class. In case you weren't aware, I kind of need to pass it to graduate, Wes."

Trent, Thad and Sebastian joined them at the table with their breakfast. They all appeared to be in a bad mood like Blaine.

"Ok, what's going on with all of you?" Wes asked.

"You never shut up about the Warblers, Wes. That's what's wrong with us." Sebastian snapped. "The truth is that nobody cares about the Warblers anymore. We're failures. We have never won anything. Nobody wants to be a loser."

"We're not losers. We have Blaine." Wes poked Blaine with his elbow. He'd hoped Blaine would defend his honor, but Blaine only let his spoon drop into his cereal. He barely seemed to notice it.

" _Yeah_. Very impressive, Wes." Sebastian sneered. "I'm sure we'll definitely win if Blaine lets a spoon fall on stage."

"Well, it is original." David mumbled.

"We're still three members short. A miracle needs to happen in order for us to go to Sectionals." Wes said. He looked at Blaine. "What's wrong with you? We need you at the top of your game." Blaine sighed, letting his head drop into his hands.

"Kurt hasn't talked to him since we all met at the mall." Thad explained. "He's depressed."

"What did you do?" Trent asked in surprised.

"Nothing," Blaine sighed. "I don't know what's going on. I thought we were doing great."

Yes, in all actuality, everything _had_ gone great…until Kurt had met Travis. Kurt had avoided Blaine at all costs ever since, skipping his meals again, only walking with Jeff, Thad or Trent. Blaine had texted him, but he never got a reply. He was worried because Kurt wasn't taking good care of himself by skipping meals.

"He probably just needs some time," Sebastian said wisely. Blaine looked at the Sub. He had a suspicion Sebastian knew more, but before he could ask, Nick and Jeff arrived with their hands firmly locked.

"Good morning." Jeff sat down next to Blaine with a wide happy smile.

"What's so good about it?" David scowled, stabbing at his eggs. Jeff shoved the paper in his hands into David's face. David frowned and read. "A Christmas Ball?"

Wes perked up. "Where?"

"At Dalton. December 8th." David read out loud. "It's only for seniors and we can bring dates from outside our school." He smiled dreamily. "I can finally ask Angela to the ball. Do you think she would say yes?"

"Who cares?" Sebastian shrugged. He stood up, put his empty plate on the conveyor belt meant for dirty dishes and walked out of the cafeteria.

"I'm going with Nick!" Jeff exclaimed happily, as if it was big news to the rest of them. Blaine looked at Nick, but the Dom did his best to avoid his look. It was obvious they still hadn't talked.

"This is a great opportunity. Maybe the Warblers could perform at the Ball." Wes said.

"I'll be too busy dancing with my love." Jeff glared at Wes. Wes waved him off and was already running out of the cafeteria, saying he had to speak to the principle. "Great. There goes my night of fun."

Nick pulled Jeff close. "You still got me, babe."

Jeff smiled. "That's true." He kissed Nick and began eating his breakfast. He stared at Thad and Trent. "Who are you two going to ask?"

"Nobody." They said at the same time.

Jeff frowned. "Why not?"

"The final for the cooking competition is that day, all the way on the other side of Westerville." Trent said bitterly. "I can't exactly skip it, even though I doubt Seth will even show up."

He pulled out his phone and unlocked it, glaring all the while. He had just received an email that morning from the commission that organized the competition. They requested a three course dinner comprised of fish dishes for the competition. Of course, he'd heard nothing from Seth, who he knows good and well had received the email too. Not that he expected to hear from him, but still! A little effort would be nice. It was obvious that he was going to have to perform in this competition alone.

"Excuse me. I'm going to the library to look for some food with fish in it." He stood up, put his plate on the conveyer belt and also left the cafeteria.

"So much tension." David whispered. "Do you think there's something going on between Trent and Seth?"

Thad's eyes widened. He wasn't as big of a gossip queen as Jeff or Trent but no. Trent couldn't fall for someone like Seth. He _wouldn't_. Besides, they swore together that they wouldn't Bond. They were better than that. "What? No! Trent _hates_ Seth."

"Hate very often turns to love." David said wisely.

"Since when have you been watching The Bold and The Beautiful?" Nick teased. David blushed, keeping his eyes on his food and not replying.

Jeff turned to Blaine. "So, Blaine... when are you going to ask Kurt?"

"I'm not." Blaine said, sounding resigned.

"What? Why not?!" Jeff raised his voice. "You're meant for each other." He set down his fork. "You can't let him slip away."

Blaine shrugged. "He hasn't been speaking to me, Jeff. I don't know what to do. I would love to ask him to the Ball, but I can't force him. If he doesn't like me, then that's that."

"But he _does_ like you!" Jeff said.

"W-what?" Blaine swallowed, not daring to get his hopes up, but the idea of Kurt truly liking him the way he liked Kurt made his heart race. "He said that?"

"Well, no." Jeff admitted. So much for not getting his hopes up. Blaine's ecstatic mood immediately dwindled back into depression. "But it's obvious."

Nick noticed the pained look on Blaine's face and decided to interfere. "Okay, honey. Let it rest. If it's meant to be, then it will happen."

Jeff sighed. "All right, but don't give up, Blaine. I made a bet on when you and Kurt would finally get together, remember?"

Blaine shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe this is about money. I thought you honestly cared, Jeffrey."

Jeff shrugged. "The money doesn't hurt either, but what matters the most is, of course, the happiness of my friends." He quickly added.

The bell rang, signaling that they only had so much time for them to get to class. They quickly stood, picked up their bags, disposed of their dishes and left the cafeteria.

"Any idea how we're going to get to Kurt's house tomorrow?" David asked, walking next to Blaine. Blaine tensed. He had almost forgotten that Kurt had invited them over for dinner. "I don't mind driving." David responded to his own question, seeing Blaine's tension. "My car is big enough for all of us."

"Sure." Blaine said absently. His mind was with Kurt. _'Does he even still want me to come over?'_

"I've heard that Travis isn't invited." David mentioned as a side note.

"What?" Blaine stopped in the middle of the hallway. Someone bumped into him, but he ignored it completely. "He isn't?"

David frowned. "Why would he be? Kurt and he have only met once. Apparently, he doesn't trust Travis enough to invite him over for dinner. Friends only, remember?"

Blaine's foul mood disappeared and suddenly the future looked a lot brighter. He was looking forward to having dinner at Kurt's house. He would do anything to clear the air between them and make everything okay again. Blaine couldn't help but begin whistling a happy tune.

David smiled at his friend's behavior. He was happy Blaine felt better, but he still couldn't resist taunting him. "I've heard Kurt has a really overprotective dad though. They say he's as big as a bear and likes to rip any of his son's potential suitors apart, piece by piece." He laughed when Blaine froze. He slapped him on the back. "Good luck tomorrow, buddy!"

 **July 1, 2010**

The day had passed in relative silence. After breakfast, Adam had gone back to his office and took care of more business, whatever that entailed. Kurt took another tour about the house. The earlier tour hadn't been nearly enough to satisfy his curiosity. He needed to see each room again and look at all of the furnishings. It may not have been exactly what he wanted, décor wise, but it would do, he supposed. It didn't seem that there was anything he could do about it in any case.

Kurt sighed. He had hoped that he and Adam would go out into town that day. There was so much for Kurt to see. Yet, here he was. Newly bonded and alone.

Adam made an appearance around lunch time. Kurt was already in the kitchen, taking stock of the supplies available to him when Adam walked in and grabbed a snack before turning to walk away again.

"Oh. You should have dinner prepared by 7:00." Adam stated simply. He proceeded to walk back out of the kitchen before Kurt could even mutter a word. Perhaps his Dom was just tired? It had been a long flight after all, and it appeared he had a lot to catch up on in that office of his.

Kurt sighed and went to unpack his suitcase and bags. He'd worry about it all later.

xxx

"Dinner was delicious." Adam said and Kurt smiled. He loved compliments. He gave into his Sub instincts. He loved pleasing his Dom. Cooking wasn't that bad if it made his Dom happy. Adam made sure Kurt only ate a salad though, claiming that Kurt could stand to lose some weight. Normally Kurt would protest, but he was just too tired, so he ignored him.

"Clean up here. I still have to make a few phone calls. I'll see you upstairs when I'm through." He stood up, kissed Kurt on his cheek and left.

Kurt sighed as he stood up, making his way into the empty kitchen with their dirty dishes. He hoped things would get better soon. Kurt cleaned until the kitchen looked the way it had when he first arrived, then made his way upstairs. He took a bath and got dressed in his pajamas, beginning his skincare routine. It wasn't long before the bedroom door opened and Adam came in. He had never looked so disgusted.

"What are you doing?"

Kurt looked at the mess he had made in front of the mirror. "What? You mean this? I use this to-"

"I don't care." Adam interrupted, snappily. "I don't want this mess here." He stared at the cream on Kurt's face and sneered. "Wipe it off. It's not going to help you anyway. You're going to continue being just as ugly as you've always been."

Kurt stared at Adam in shock. He couldn't believe what Adam had just said to him. To his face! That was when Kurt's wavering attitude broke. No. He was done. His dad had always told him that there was nothing to be ashamed of and that he should be proud of who he was.

 _'Nobody messes with a Hummel.'_

"I am not ugly." Kurt responded resolutely.

"What?" Adam stared at Kurt, as if he couldn't believe he had been spoken against.

"You heard me."

"And you heard me." Adam grabbed a towel and threw it in Kurt's face. "Clean it off."

"No."

Adam clenched his hands into fists. "I said clean it off!" He grabbed Kurt's arm and dragged him to the bathroom. "Clean it!"

"Let go of me!" Kurt was sure he wouldn't be able to use his arm for a while after this. He was thrown against the washbasin. He fell on his knees with a loud groan of pain.

"Clean it off, _NOW!_ " Adam yelled. Kurt could feel the Dominance washing over him and he could do nothing to go against the command. He jumped to his feet and began washing the cream off of his face. As he did so, Adam left, then came back with all of Kurt's facial creams. He emptied each tub and bottle into the toilet and flushed them, making sure Kurt watched. "No more stuff like this anymore, understood?" Kurt swallowed and quickly nodded. Adam left the bathroom again.

Ten minutes later, Kurt had found enough courage to reenter the bedroom. Adam passed him to use the bathroom himself and closed the door. Kurt let out a breath of relief. He quickly walked to his bag and grabbed his phone. He had to call his dad to say he was coming home, then he had to buy a plane ticket, call a taxi and get the hell out of there. He dialed his dad's number. _'Please pick up.'_

"What are you doing?" Adam was back.

Kurt jumped up from his spot on the bed, his phone still pressed to his ear. "Nothing." He answered as softly as possible, lest he set his Dom off once more.

"Then you won't mind hanging up." Adam said sternly.

Kurt swallowed. His body was begging him to obey his Dom. He hung up the phone.

"Good boy."

Kurt hated how his body reacted to the praise. With every fiber of his body, he hated his Submissive side, and he hated the smile on Adam's face.

"It looks like the Bond is finally beginning to work." Adam stretched out his hand. "Give me your phone, Kurt." Kurt obeyed. "You don't mind if I keep your phone do you, Kurt?" Kurt didn't answer. "I thought we've been over this before. Answer me."

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, sir."

"Good." Adam put the phone in a drawer. "Don't worry. You can earn it back when you finally learn to obey." He sat down on the bed. "Come here, Kurt."

Kurt hesitated. Adam had taken away his phone. He was all alone with Adam and he had no one he could call for help. He was _terrified._

"Kurt!" Adam raised his voice warningly. Kurt finally moved closer. He went to sit down on the bed, but Adam stopped him. "Don't sit. I just wanted to give you this pillow." Kurt looked in surprise at the pillow. _'What was going on?'_ "You can sleep on the floor."

Kurt stared in disbelief at Adam. Adam laid back down in the comfort of his bed and nonchalantly stated, "You have to earn your place next to me too." He turned out the lights. "Goodnight Kurt."

"…Goodnight, Sir." Kurt stared at the unwelcoming hard and cold floor. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. He was living in another country in a big expensive mansion and yet he had to sleep on the floor. He laid down with the pillow cushioning his head. His back still hurt from when he had hit the washbasin. He was sure it would leave a bruise.

He shivered. It was really cold on the floor. It was too hard to sleep on, so Kurt's thoughts went back to his home. To his friends, to his dad and even to McKinley. He wished he never signed a contract with Adam and that he was still in the United States, in Ohio, with Mercedes, Puck and even Rachel Berry wouldn't be so bad.

He wished he was home.

 **Present Day - September 21, 2011**

Kurt hurriedly packed his bag, gave his room a quick glance over and when he saw he had everything that he needed, he closed and locked his dorm room door. He ran out of Dalton to his car, hopped in, started the engine and put his car in reverse. He had to get a head start so that the others wouldn't beat him to his house. That wouldn't have been very hospitable of him, to arrive late to his own dinner party. He'd agreed for them to come over to his home at 7:30 that evening, so that he would have plenty of time to get home and start making dinner.

Kurt had been nervous all week. He hadn't even been able to concentrate on homework or his classes. He knew he had been avoiding Blaine, but he just couldn't handle what Travis had told him, and with his new friends meeting his dad for the first time…it was all just too much. He didn't know what to believe anymore. He wished he could still trust Blaine.

Kurt had asked Sebastian to come too, but the Sub had only looked at him in disbelief and then stalked out of the room. Kurt sighed. He could've used Sebastian's silent support to calm his nerves, but he knew the Sub didn't like company, so he didn't think Sebastian would show up.

After a long drive, Kurt parked his car in the familiar driveway and took a deep breath. He smiled when he saw his dad walking out of the house to greet him. He turned off the engine, jumped out and gave his dad a hug.

"Everything all right, son?" Burt smiled warmly, pulling his son just a little closer.

"I am now." Kurt said. He pulled out of the hug. "Let's go make dinner."

xxx

They stopped in front of a small house and pressed their noses against the car windows to get a better look.

"It's not much." Trent commented. He thought _his_ parents didn't have much money, but the Hummel's were obviously just barely managing to hold it together.

"It's..." Nick couldn't find a word for it.

"...Cute." Jeff said.

"It doesn't matter. It's Kurt's home and we shouldn't be acting like spoiled rotten brats." Blaine scolded his friends. He was holding a bouquet of flowers. Kurt hadn't said much to him earlier that day at school. The poor boy had been a nervous wreck all day, but Jeff had assured him that it was because they were all coming over for dinner that night and that it wasn't because of him.

"Says the man who has a huge crush on Kurt." Wes said. "You would think Kurt was amazing even if he lived in a cave."

"Blaine's right." Thad stood up for his friend. "It doesn't matter. Kurt is our friend. I don't care if he lives in such a small house." Blaine smiled gratefully at the Sub.

Trent shrugged. "As long as the food is good, I'm fine. Do you think we'll be having fish? I still need original ideas for-"

"Let's go." David cut off the Sub. Trent hadn't stopped talking about fish or food all day. They all got out of David's car.

"Be careful with the flowers!" Blaine snapped at Nick, who almost sat on the bouquet as he slid out of the vehicle. Nick muttered a "Sorry!" and followed Jeff.

Jeff skipped happily up to the front door. Blaine felt a twitch of jealousy. He wished he could be so carefree about meeting Kurt's family. His insides were filled with butterflies and he was barely holding it together. Blaine quickly checked to see if his hair was still firmly glued to his skull in the car mirror while Jeff rang the doorbell.

"Come on, Romeo." Wes dragged Blaine to the door.

A bald, middle aged man opened the door with a smile. Blaine relaxed a little. The man looked friendly enough. "Hi, I'm Burt Hummel, Kurt's dad."

They each introduced themselves politely. Jeff tried to look over the man's shoulder. "Is Kurt here?"

"He's in the kitchen preparing dinner." Burt stepped aside to let them all in. He eyed Blaine's bouquet curiously. "For me?" He grabbed the flowers. Blaine blushed, not knowing what to say. "How nice. You shouldn't have."

"Actually…" Blaine started, but was interrupted by Kurt walking into the hallway to greet his friends. He was wearing a blue and white striped shirt, tight jeans and an apron. He'd never seen Kurt in anything other than his Dalton uniform. The sight in front of him took his breath away. Kurt looked perfect.

Burt recognized the look in Blaine's eyes. It was obvious that Blaine liked Kurt. He thought about the weekend before when Kurt nervously waited for a phone call from Blaine. He eyed the Dom a little more warily. At first, he had thought that Blaine was just another boy, but he knew his son, and after everything he had gone though, Kurt wouldn't be waiting for a phone call if Blaine was "just a boy."

The Dom wasn't tall. He was the smallest of the whole group. His black hair was glued to his skull. He was wearing a red shirt with a grey cardigan, black pants and a red bowtie. He looked like the typical rich boy to Burt. The kind that hadn't worked a day in his life and had parents who probably paid his way into Dalton.

Burt swallowed. He didn't want this boy for his son. Kurt deserved better, especially after last time, but then he saw Kurt turn around to look at Blaine and he recognized the look on his face. His son was already falling.

"Hi." Kurt blushed shyly, suddenly feeling ashamed about his behavior towards Blaine the last couple of days.

"Hi." Blaine smiled, friendly. "I brought you..." He stared at his empty hands and unsurely turned towards Kurt's father, who stared at him coldly, the warm smile gone. "...flowers."

"They're for me?" Kurt asked, prying the flowers out of Burt's unwilling hands. "You shouldn't have."

"I wanted to. It's no problem." Blaine said, trying to ignore Burt's glare and concentrate on Kurt. He had no idea why Burt was looking at him like that. He hadn't even been inside the house for five minutes and it looked as if he had already blown it with Kurt's dad.

"Thank you. I'm going to go find a vase for them. I'll be right back." Kurt turned to his dad. "Dad, can you keep an eye on the food? It still needs to simmer for a few more minutes. Have a seat in the living room, you guys. I'll be right back." He turned away and left. Burt walked into the kitchen.

Blaine let out a breath of relief. He did not want to be alone with Kurt's dad, ever. That man was scary. He followed his friends into the living room. A couch, two chairs and a TV filled the whole room. For a moment, Blaine thought about what his mother would say if she saw how small the room was or how old the furniture was. He could hear her voice complaining in his mind and he shivered. He was glad he wasn't a part of that world anymore.

Jeff was curiously staring at family photos on the wall. There were a lot of photos of just Kurt and his dad, but there was also one with the three of them: a seven year old Kurt, a younger Burt and a beautiful woman with blond hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes. Kurt really looked like her.

Kurt came back into the room and put the vase full of Blaine's flowers on a small table. He saw Jeff staring at the photo. "My mother."

"She's beautiful." Jeff smiled softly. "You look like her. Not that you look like a girl, but...I mean…" He stopped, awkwardly trying to fix his mistake.

"People say that a lot." Kurt reassured his friend with a smile that his comment was ok. "That I look like her."

"She doesn't live here anymore?" Wes dared to ask. The group glanced at him. Everyone was wondering what had happened to Kurt's mother, but didn't dare to ask.

"She's dead." Kurt said, staring at his feet.

"I'm sorry." Wes apologized immediately.

Kurt shrugged. "Don't be. It happened a long time ago. She died in a car crash. I was eight." He walked over to the photo. "This was the last photo ever taken of us three together."

"You don't have to tell us this if you don't want to, Kurt." Blaine said softly.

"I know," Kurt said. He never really talked about his mother's death with anyone other than his father. Not even with Mercedes, but he felt safe and surrounded by friends. "I don't mind talking about her with all of you."

"Do you remember anything about her?" Nick asked.

"She used to sing me to sleep. Every night." Kurt stared at the photo, remembering his mother's voice singing him to sleep. "It's stupid that I don't remember much, but I remember her voice clearly."

"That's not stupid." Trent said softly.

Burt entered the room. "Dinner's ready."

The group followed the Hummel's into the dining room and sat down. They made small talk while eating. Kurt was glad everyone seemed to be getting along fine with his father. He didn't regret inviting his friends over. Burt told the boys about his work as a mechanic and they, in return, told him what they wanted to become. Nick wanted to be a doctor, Jeff a teacher, Wes president of the United States. They all smirked at that, earning a glare from Wes. Thad wanted to be a scientist, Trent a chef and David just wanted to be rich. "And you?" Burt asked Blaine.

Blaine cleared his throat, determined to not trip over his words in front of his friends, Kurt and Burt. "I want to go to NYADA and become a musician."

Burt's jaw dropped. Kurt took a deep breath and glanced at his dad, subtly telling the man to keep his mouth shut. Burt looked at Kurt. Kurt had talked about going to NYADA and becoming a Broadway star for years.

"I'm going to go grab the dessert." Kurt jumped up and almost ran into the kitchen.

Burt slowly recovered. Nobody really seemed to notice the tension. They were all too busy eating. "Musician, huh?"

"Yes, sir." Blaine said politely. "I want to make music that moves people, not for the money, but in order to better help others connect with music on a deeper level."

Burt really doubted that. _'His parents are probably swimming in money.'_ "So…you're good?"

Wes snorted. "He's the best, sir. He's the lead singer of the Warblers."

Burt frowned. He was sure he had heard that name before, but couldn't remember when. "The what?"

"The Warblers. It's our Glee club." Wes announced proudly. The others groaned and stared at their plates.

"Glee club! Kurt was in the glee club at his old school." Burt said proudly, then realized his mistake when he saw Kurt standing in the doorway with the dessert. Kurt froze and dropped the icebox cake he had made. Everyone stared at him.

Jeff broke the silence first. "You can sing?"

"N-no." Kurt quickly knelt to the floor to clean up. His hands were shaking. Blaine wanted to get up and help him, but before he could do that, Burt spoke.

"Kurt, you don't have to clean. I can do it."

"I want to." Kurt said stubbornly. "It's ruined anyway." He stared at his guests and stood up, his hands covered in cake. "You can always go to a restaurant. I wouldn't blame you a bit and I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"Are you crazy? This was the best meal I've had in ages." Trent said. "I'm full anyway."

"Me too." David rubbed his belly, but Kurt didn't seem to listen. He had knelt back down to the floor and kept cleaning until there was nothing left of the icebox cake.

"I think it's time to go, you guys." Thad stared at his watch. It was getting pretty late and they still had to drive home. They stood up and thanked both Kurt and Burt for the delicious meal, but Kurt was still scrubbing the floor, almost obsessively.

Everyone walked to the car. Blaine put on his coat, but waited on the threshold, staring back at Kurt. It didn't feel right to just leave. He saw Burt leaning against the wall, staring at him. "Go, Blaine. Kurt will be fine."

Blaine still looked unsure.

"I'll ask him to call you later." Burt assured.

Blaine nodded. He wanted to join his friends, but his curiosity won out. "Was he any good?"

"He was the best." Burt didn't have to ask what this was about. "He loved singing. Just like his mother. Music was his life."

Blaine nodded. "I feel the same. It's easier to say things through music."

Burt smiled warmly. He'd been wrong about Blaine. The Dom was nothing but honest and sincere. "You remind me of my son, you know."

"Thank you." Blaine smiled back. "He's a brave man."

Their eyes locked in understanding.

"He's the bravest." Burt nodded. Blaine gave a final nod and began walking to the car. Burt's voice stopped him. "It won't be easy, Blaine. He will push you away more than once, but just... be patient. Don't give up on him."

"I won't." Blaine promised and got in the car.

Kurt didn't call him later that night, but Blaine held hope that everything would be all right. He had a plan to break through Kurt's walls.

xxx

That Monday, Wes forced every member of the Warblers to find at least three new people to audition. Everyone suffered from Wes' obsession with the Warblers and his need for control. Blaine avoided Wes by locking himself in the music room. He had a few minutes alone before he had to report back to him.

Blaine had just started to play the piano and warm up his voice when he saw the door open a little bit and Kurt peeked in. "Hi."

"Hi." Kurt stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "You have a really beautiful voice."

"Thank you." Blaine said. "Is that why you came all the way here?"

Kurt blushed prettily. "No. I was looking for you and heard your voice. I wanted to apologize for Friday." Kurt said.

"For the delicious dinner?" Blaine asked confused.

"I-I messed up." Kurt stared at his feet, feeling ashamed.

"Don't be sorry Kurt, and you didn't mess up at all. Everyone liked it." Blaine stood up and pulled new sheet music from his binder. He sat back down and started to play a tune. "We haven't eaten anything that good in a while. Your dad seems nice."

"He is." Kurt said looking at Blaine, grateful that he hadn't made a big deal over his stupid bout of clumsiness with the dessert. He'd been worried all weekend about it and he didn't dare to call Blaine. He drove his dad crazy all weekend. "I…I also wanted to apologize for pushing you away this week. I..." He looked firmly at his feet. "Sometimes I need to just be by myself."

"Don't worry about it. Everyone needs to have time by themselves sometimes."

Kurt looked up, disbelief written on his face. "So... you're not mad?"

"Of course not. Why would I be? You don't have to apologize for needing space, Kurt. I'll be here whenever you want to talk."

Kurt nodded, still feeling bad for ignoring Blaine. Blaine really deserved a better friend. From now on, he would be a better friend to Blaine.

"You know what I do when I want to be alone?" Blaine asked, changing his sheet music again. Kurt shook his head, looking at him curiously. "I sing or play some music. It really helps to clear my head. Maybe it'll help you too. Care to sing a little song with me?"

"I can't." Kurt said nervously, his eyes darting to the door, ready to flee.

"Sure you can. Nobody can hear you here and this room has been soundproof ever since we let David into the Warblers." Blaine teased. That earned a little smile from Kurt. "Ever heard of a little song known as 'Defying Gravity'?"

Kurt's eyes widened. He couldn't hide his excitement. "You know Wicked?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Blaine frowned. "I love Wicked. So, do you want to sing?"

Kurt bit his lip. He really wanted to sing, but it had been so long. _'What if I can't sing anymore? Or if Blaine laughs at me?'_ "I... I can't. I don't know the lyrics."

"Well, you're in luck because I just so happen to have an extra set of lyrics right here." Blaine handed him the extra sheet music. "I know the music by heart, so don't worry about it. I'll start and you just join me when you want to. Okay?" Kurt nodded, grateful that Blaine was still giving him a way out.

Blaine started.

"Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes and leap!

Blaine looked over at Kurt who had his eyes firmly placed on the sheet music. He looked nervous. Kurt looked up when Blaine didn't continue and Blaine gave him a reassuring smile. Blaine saw Kurt relax a little. Leaning against the piano, he took a deep breath and began softly.

"It's time to try  
Defying gravity  
I think I'll try  
Defying gravity  
And you can't pull me down!"

At first, Kurt's voice was hesitant and shaky, but towards the end his voice grew stronger. Blaine could only stare at him in awe. Kurt was the voice he had heard that one time…when Sebastian had said it was him singing. It wasn't as strong as then, but he would recognize that voice anywhere.

Blaine continued the next chorus.

"I'm through accepting limits  
'cause someone says they're so  
Some things I cannot change  
But till I try, I'll never know!  
Too long I've been afraid of  
Losing love I guess I've lost  
Well, if that's love  
It comes at much too high a cost!

I'd sooner buy  
Defying gravity  
Kiss me goodbye  
I'm defying gravity  
And you can't pull me down"

This time Kurt didn't need encouragement. He put the sheet music down and sang the next chorus with Blaine:

"Unlimited  
Together we're unlimited  
Together we'll be the greatest team  
There's ever been"

Blaine beamed at Kurt. "Ready for the finale?" Kurt nodded. His cheeks were slightly red. They both sang.

"So if you care to find me,  
Look to the western sky  
As someone told me lately;  
"Everyone deserves the chance to fly"  
And if I'm flying solo  
At least I'm flying free  
To those who ground me  
Take a message back from me  
Tell them how I am  
Defying Gravity  
I'm flying high  
Defying Gravity  
And soon I'll match them in renown  
And nobody in all of Oz  
No wizard that there is or was  
Is ever gonna break me down!"

Their eyes locked, both a little out of breath. Blaine was still in awe over Kurt's voice. _'How could he hide such a beautiful voice from the world?'_ He knew with Kurt in the Warblers, they would win Nationals.

Suddenly, the boys broke apart when they heard the sound of applause behind them. They both turned around. Wes, David, Nick, Thad, Trent, Jeff, Sebastian and the other Warblers were standing in the doorway. Kurt blushed, looking at Blaine and his eyes flashed back to the door, his only way out. He couldn't run through the group, so instead of fleeing, he stared firmly at his feet and tried to make himself as small as possible.

Blaine stood up. He saw the panic in Kurt's eyes. "Kurt... I swear... I had nothing to do with this. Please, look at me." He took a step towards Kurt, but he quickly stepped back so Blaine stopped. He turned to glare at his friends.

"Kurt..." Jeff walked towards the Sub, ignoring Blaine's glare completely.

"You don't have to say it. I already know I suck." Kurt whispered, tears forming in his eyes.

"Suck?" Wes gasped. He looked like he could pass out at any moment. He leaned heavily against David. "Have you lost your mind? That was beautiful."

Kurt looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Your voice... it's perfect." Nick stated somewhat reverently. The others nodded in agreement.

"You _have_ to join the Warblers!" Jeff squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. Kurt stared at him as if he had gone insane. "If you don't, I'll quit."

"What?" Wes growled.

"... and we can start our own glee club together." Jeff ignored Wes, pulling Kurt to his side. "I can already see it. Of course, you'll be the star and I'll break out some of my awesome dance moves." He shook his hips. "What do you say?" Kurt stared at him in shock. "Or, you could join us in the Warblers and we can finally win Nationals?" Jeff put on his sweetest smile. "Please?"

Kurt looked at Jeff unsurely, then his eyes flashed to the group of boys behind Jeff. Nobody looked angry or disgusted. They all looked rather curious at Kurt. Sebastian gave Kurt a small smile, rolling his eyes at Jeff, but nodding slowly.

Kurt swallowed nervously. He glanced at Blaine who gave him a reassuring smile. He took a deep breath. Even though he didn't know all of them, he knew Blaine, Wes, David, Trent, Thad, Nick, Jeff and Sebastian would support him and protect him. He felt safe. "Ok, I can try."

Everyone cheered and wanted to walk over to meet Kurt, but Wes interrupted them by knocking his gavel on the table for silence. Once he had everyone's attention, he cleared his throat for the dramatic effect. "Welcome to the Warblers, Kurt!" The group cheered once more.

xxx

An hour later, Blaine found Kurt sitting outside on a bench. It was time for dinner and when Kurt hadn't showed up, he became worried. "May I?" Blaine asked, pointing at the space next to Kurt.

Kurt nodded, scooting over and making some room for Blaine to sit down. Their knees touched, but to Blaine's relief, Kurt didn't flinch away.

"You okay?"

"Better than a week ago." Kurt admitted, finally looking at Blaine. "Thank you for letting me sing with you."

"It was my pleasure. With your voice, we'll win Nationals."

Kurt sighed. He didn't know where to start. "Blaine... I want to apologize again for my behavior. You've been nothing but nice to me and you didn't deserve to be treated like that."

Blaine opened his mouth to speak, but Kurt continued. "I'm sorry for pushing you away. I can't promise you it won't happen again in the future. I... I have baggage Blaine. A lot of baggage. I try to not let my past get in the way of my future, but sometimes..." He swallowed. "...it's hard to let go and forget the past."

Blaine nodded. "Everyone has baggage. I don't mind, Kurt. I want to be your friend." _'And more.'_ He added in his mind. After the rough week he had with Kurt avoiding him, he knew for sure he wanted Kurt to be his. He would never abandon or hurt Kurt. He couldn't wait to show Kurt how wonderful a Bond between a Sub and a Dom could be.

"Even if I push you away again?" Kurt asked, staring Blaine right in the eyes. He had to be sure. He had to know that Blaine would be there even if he didn't want him to be there. If the nightmares came back, when the darkness came back, he needed to know that Blaine would be there for him.

Blaine nodded. He took Kurt's hand into his own and gave it a light squeeze. "I'll be right here. Always."

Kurt let out a breath of relief, blinking away the oncoming tears and unexpectedly pulled Blaine into a hug. "Thank you."

At first, Blaine was too shocked to react. Kurt had never made the first move before. Blaine was usually the one to make all the moves, proceeding cautiously every time. This was a welcome change. He slowly wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, pulling him a little closer without tightening his grip. He didn't want to scare Kurt away. "Anytime." He could sit there for hours with Kurt in his arms, but then he heard Kurt's stomach protest loudly.

The Sub quickly let go of Blaine and blushed, looking at the ground. He was so shocked at being accepted into the Warblers that he had forgotten to eat. He was starving.

Blaine stood up, smiling, and stretched his hand out to Kurt. "Would you like to accompany me to dinner?"

Kurt smiled, accepting Blaine's hand. "I would love to."

They made their way inside, their hands firmly locked.

 **A.N: I've never understood why RIB didn't turn Defying Grafity into a Klaine duet, so I just had to do it. I hope you like the new chapter!:)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N: Big thanks to my Beta Emerly Felton!**

Broken: Chapter 8

Thad made his way through the empty hallways of the school gymnasium. He had just finished gym class and had stayed behind a bit, knowing that Travis trained on Thursdays. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy. He still had an hour to kill before the Warblers meeting. Wes planned for auditions to take place that day, so it was important for everyone to be there.

Thad sighed. He knew it was stupid to still hope for Travis to fall in love with him. Especially since Travis had openly declared his want for Kurt. The Dom might not have actively proclaimed it in front of the whole school, but he had said it to Blaine, and in all honesty, that was really all that mattered. Ever since it had been announced that there would be a Christmas Ball held at Dalton, Thad couldn't help but dream about Travis asking _him_ to the ball, not Kurt.

The whole school was buzzing with excitement about the ball and everyone was gossiping about who was going with whom. Thad didn't have to worry about who to ask or what to wear. So far, no Dom had asked him. Not that he had expected them to. He wasn't popular, by any means. Heck, if he weren't in the Warblers, he doubted any of the popular students would ever talk to him, such as Blaine, or Nick.

Thad was buried so deep in his thoughts that he didn't see a Dom turning the corner in front of him. Hardly a moment had passed before he found himself landing hard on the floor. Before the Sub could do anything, he was pulled onto his feet by a hand gripping his shirt collar and was then shoved and pinned against the wall. Thad opened his eyes and looked right in the face of an angry Ames. He gulped.

Thad didn't really know Ames. The only thing he knew about Ames was that he had a short temper. All Sub's tried to avoid him like the plague.

"I can't believe this is happening again!" The Dom shouted. "They should put a _leash_ on these _things._ "

"Is there a problem here?" Travis walked up. Thad squeaked. He had never been so happy to see Travis in the entire time he had known him, and that was saying something. Ames let go of Thad warily. Even he wasn't so stupid as to pick a fight with the school's boxing champion. Thad took a deep breath of fresh air and moved his hand to rub at his neck. He had no idea he had been holding his breath.

"Everything okay?"

For a moment, Thad thought that Travis had spoken to Ames, but Travis was barely even acknowledging Ames' presence. His eyes were firmly on Thad. If the Sub didn't know any better, he would have thought that Travis was worried about his safety. He certainly looked it. Thad nodded, unable to speak.

Travis turned to Ames. He appeared to be calm, except for his clenched fists. "Is there a _problem,_ Ames?"

For a moment, it looked like Ames was about to speak his mind, but then his eyes glanced at Travis' fists. The boy sneered and quickly turned around, stomping his way down the hall towards the exit, and away from the pair.

"Too bad. I was really hoping to kick his ass." Travis said nonchalantly, hands unclenching. He turned back towards Thad. The Sub looked even smaller than normal. He quickly checked over Thad's body. He seemed okay physically, but Travis knew that such a confrontation with a Dom like Ames could make a big impact on a sensitive Sub like Thad. He really had to talk to the principle about Ames. "Are you really okay?"

Thad nodded his head, eyes pointed to the floor submissively.

Travis studied the Sub. Thad was pale and his whole body was shaking. He was far from okay. "Come with me. You could use a hot cup of the finest coffee in Westerville." He turned around and started walking to the exit, but Thad remained frozen. Thad turned back around once he noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"I... I have Warbler practice in an hour."

Travis glanced at his watch. "We'll be back in time. It's just across the street."

Thad hesitated for a moment, but he had nothing to do, and he'd rather not be alone at that point in time. _'What if Ames came back?'_ So he nodded and followed Travis outside.

It was chilly outside and Thad regretted not wearing a jacket. He wrapped his arms around his body to keep warm. Travis didn't even seem to notice the cold. He just kept a steady pace and they continued their walk in silence. Thad gazed at the ground. Now that he was finally alone with Travis, he had no idea what to say.

Travis led him to a small café and held open the door for him, like a true gentleman. Thad stepped inside and regretted it immediately. The whole café was full of Dominant jocks from Dalton. He should've known that Travis liked going to a place like this. He saw a number of the café patrons staring at him and Thad tried his best to make himself as small as possible. He stood out like a sore thumb and it would only be a matter of time before the patrons made it known that he didn't belonged there. Before he could turn around and run away, a firm hand grabbed his. He looked up to see that Travis was tugging him further into the small café. Travis was greeted warmly by his fellow jock-Dom's. They kept inviting Travis over to their table, but he rejected them all and kept walking.

Thad kept his eyes averted to the café floor like any good, polite Sub would do in a situation such as this, or at least he had tried until Travis stopped walking abruptly. Thad had to stop himself from running into him. He was standing beside a table located in the corner of the café. "Sit here. I'll grab us a few drinks." He gave Thad a warm smile. "Relax, Thad."

Thad sat down and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible in a room full of Dom's. He could feel more eyes on him now that Travis had left him alone. He didn't sense any hostility though. It appeared as if everyone was merely curious. _'They aren't the only ones who are wondering what I'm doing here. What the hell was Travis thinking bringing me to this place?'_

Suddenly, he recognized someone familiar. Sebastian was sitting in the corner, his arms wrapped around his Dom, Hunter. It appeared he hadn't noticed Thad walking in, or he _had_ noticed and most likely just didn't care. It was probably the latter. There weren't a lot of things that escaped the Sub.

It was good to see a familiar face in such Dom infested waters, but Thad doubted that if someone bothered him that Sebastian would stand up for him. Thad swallowed nervously and moved his eyes back to the table before him. He wished Travis would hurry up.

Thad's wish was granted when Travis returned with two coffees in his hands. He gave one to Thad and sat down opposite of him. "I didn't know what flavor you liked so I picked vanilla with cream. It's my favorite. I hope that's okay."

Thad took a small sip and quickly decided that it was his favorite from now on too. It was delicious. He leant back in his chair, feeling much more relaxed.

"Better?" Travis asked.

Thad nodded. "Thank you."

Travis shrugged. "No problem."

There fell a comfortable silence between the two as they both concentrated on their drinks. Travis had no idea what to say to Thad. He usually just hung out with jocks. He barely knew Thad, but he still felt the need to bring him to the café and calm him down from his confrontation with Ames. He began to regret that decision. He and Thad had nothing in common that he knew of.

Travis cleared his throat. "So, have you already asked someone to the Christmas Ball?" To his surprise, Thad's eyes widened and he blushed, quickly taking a sip of his coffee so that he didn't have to answer immediately. Travis frowned.

"No." Thad finally spoke softly.

"Really? No one?" Travis asked surprised. Almost everyone already had a date. He still had to ask Kurt, but since they didn't have the same classes, he barely saw the Sub.

"I don't think I'll be going." Thad said, his eyes firmly on the table. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Travis, the only person he wanted to take to the Christmas ball.

Travis leaned closer. "Why not?"

Thad snorted, almost choking on his coffee. He could feel his blush deepen. He hoped Travis wouldn't see it. He looked at Travis, who sincerely looked perplexed. "Um... well, look at me." He wished he hadn't said that since Travis leaned even closer.

"I am. What am I meant to be seeing?" Travis asked confusedly.

Thad sighed. "I'm not exactly... dating material."

"What do you mean?" Travis asked, feeling even more baffled. To him, there was nothing wrong with Thad. Of course, he didn't honestly know the Sub very well. The few things he did know about Thad was that he preferred books over people and was really shy. Thad was smart. Travis knew he could sing and once you looked past those big glasses of his, you looked right into two beautiful brown eyes, which Thad tried his best to hide under his fringe. Travis wished he the Sub wouldn't hide himself. Thad's insecurity wasn't even necessary. Thad was _cute_ , and Travis knew for sure that once Thad opened up a little, he would be great company. Someday he would make his future Dom really happy.

Thad nervously took another sip of his coffee. He didn't want to answer that question. He wished Travis wouldn't look so intently at him.

"You still have some cream on your..." Travis pointed to Thad's face. Thad quickly licked his lips, and Travis couldn't help but follow the motion. He hadn't expected his body to respond. He stared at those sinful pink lips like a moth drawn to light. His Dom side screamed at him to kiss those lips, to touch, to _claim._ The need to make Thad his was so overwhelming that Travis sat frozen in his seat.

"Thank you." Thad said softly, cheeks turning pink.

"There is still some..." Travis leaned in and stretched his arm out, gently wiping the last of the cream from Thad's lips. Thad's cheeks burned even brighter. Travis was searching his body for the strength to back away again, but then Thad spoke.

"You shouldn't have done that. People will start talking and think we're dating." Thad nodded towards a table next to them, which held a group of football players watching them curiously.

Travis shrugged. "I don't care." Thad's eyes widened in shock. Travis sighed, finally leaning back and wiping his hand clean on a napkin. He didn't miss the disappointment in Thad's eyes, but he had to calm himself before he did something stupid.

Sebastian and Hunter passed their table and that seemed to indicate to Thad that it was time for him to leave. He looked at his watch. "I have to go."

"Wait." Travis didn't know why he spoke up. He just didn't want Thad to leave. "Where are you going?"

"Warbler practice. It's our first practice with Kurt and there will also be auditions to be in the Warblers." Thad explained, standing up. The words "Kurt" and "auditions" seemed to bring Travis back to reality. _Kurt._ Kurt would be the perfect Sub for him. Whatever just happened with Thad was probably him projecting his feelings for Kurt onto Thad. That wasn't fair towards anyone involved. "Thanks for the coffee, Travis."

"Wait, auditions?" Travis stood up too.

"…Yes?" Answered Thad reluctantly.

"And Kurt is in the Warblers too?" Travis asked. He saw Thad's face fall. "You have to get me in the Warblers."

"I can't _get_ you in." Thad responded coolly. He knew this coffee date…okay, it wasn't officially a date, but to him it was…was a mistake. "You can only get in if you can sing."

"Great! Okay, can I still sign up to audition?" Travis asked.

Thad gaped at him. "Sure. You can sing?"

Travis gave him a teasing smile. "I'm full of surprises." He hadn't meant to sound so flirty, but he couldn't help himself.

Thad cleared his throat and turned around. "Follow me."

xxx

"We're here." Blaine parked his car and smiled when he saw Kurt press his nose against his window.

"What is _here_ exactly?" Kurt stared at the little cabin. They were just outside of Westerville. Blaine had arranged a surprise for them. He didn't want to say where they were going, but he promised they would be back in time for Warbler practice.

"You'll see." Blaine said mysteriously. He stepped out and Kurt followed his example. He took Kurt's hand and led them inside.

Inside the cabin were a number of tables and chairs and a stage. The light was dim, but Kurt could see couples everywhere holding hands, talking, laughing or singing. Blaine led Kurt to a table in the back.

"It's called the Heart Lodge. A lot of couples come here." Blaine pointed to the stage. "It's also a karaoke bar."

"I like it." Kurt said and he meant it. Despite it being crowded, it somehow also offered a feeling of privacy. He looked around. The room was filled with both Dom's and Sub's. Dom's usually tended to be a little possessive when it came to their Sub's, but these Dom's didn't seem to mind showing affection in public.

Blaine sat back in his chair. He was glad Kurt was loosening up. Since Kurt had joined the Warblers, everything had been going great between them. The Warblers had immediately welcomed Kurt as one of their own. They all greeted Kurt warmly as they passed him in the halls during class changes and Blaine noticed that Kurt had made a few new friends among the Dom's. Of course it helped that all of the Dom's in the Warblers were Bonded, except for Nick, Blaine and David, so Blaine didn't feel any hostility towards any of them.

Over the past week, Blaine and Kurt had grown even closer. Blaine would meet Kurt at his dorm room door every morning so that they could have breakfast together with their friends. They would walk to classes together, even if they didn't have the same classes. Blaine had often arrived late to his own classes because he didn't want to leave Kurt. He had to make sure Kurt was safe. He couldn't fight his instinct to protect the Sub. His Dom side had already decided that Kurt was _his._ Blaine made sure Kurt ate enough and the Sub already looked healthier than he had a week ago. He felt a sense of pride that Kurt took better care of himself all because Blaine asked him to. After classes they would go to the library to study together and Blaine would do anything in his power to make Kurt laugh because it was the best sound in the world. Blaine always hated when it was time to bid Kurt goodnight.

A blond waitress came to their table to take their orders and she smiled sweetly at Blaine. She reminded Kurt of Melody. "Hi, Blaine! Long time no see." Blaine got up with a smile of his own and hugged her warmly. She gave Kurt a curious glance over his shoulder. Kurt frowned at the interaction. They were embracing too long for his liking. Blaine finally backed away, still smiling at their waitress.

"Kim, this is Kurt Hummel. He's a friend of mine from school." Blaine introduced Kurt politely. Kurt gave Kim a wary smile. He had no idea why Blaine was introducing him to their waitress.

"Nice to meet you. Can I start you off with a drink?" Kim asked, holding a notebook and pen in her hands.

"Water, please."

"Blaine?" Kim looked at Blaine while writing Kurt's order.

"Me too."

Kim gave Blaine an odd look that Kurt couldn't place before leaving. Blaine sat down and watched a couple walk to the stage to sing a song. Kurt followed his gaze, then turned back to Blaine.

"You two seem friendly." Kurt said. He didn't want to sound too curious or even worse, _jealous_.

"Oh yeah. Kim and I go way back. She was my neighbor growing up. I met her when she was seven. I was six." Blaine explained casually. "…And she was also my first girlfriend."

Had Kurt been drinking, he would have choked. "…What?"

Blaine shrugged. "It didn't mean much. I was eleven after all. I was confused about my feelings because I was in love with a classmate. I told Kim. She kissed me and we played boyfriend/girlfriend for two months."

"What happened?" Kurt still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he had just met Blaine's ex- _girlfriend._ He reflected on the time when he was trying so hard to convince himself and his dad that he was straight. He had kissed Brittany. Kurt shivered in remembrance.

"She moved a couple of years ago to Tennessee."

"That's far away, and now she's back here." Kurt noticed. He knew he shouldn't feel threatened or jealous because Kim was a girl and Blaine was gay, but he couldn't help how he felt.

"Yes." Blaine nodded. Just then, Kim came back with their drinks. "Kim, can you sit with us for a moment?" Blaine asked kindly. Kurt's eyes widened. He had hoped to be alone with Blaine for awhile. They didn't exactly have much privacy at Dalton and it was nice for it to just be the two of them. Kim gave Blaine an odd look as well.

"I believe it's my break actually, so yes. I can hang out with you guys for a moment." Kim nodded and sat down.

"I just told Kurt that you were my old neighbor." Blaine took a sip of his water.

"Have you also told Kurt about that time when you dressed up like a teddy bear and got stuck in a car door when you were seven?" Kim smiled sweetly and Kurt's demeanor quickly changed from dispirited to highly amused.

Blaine's eyes widened in horror. "He doesn't need to know that."

"Oh, I believe he does." Kim said teasingly. "He needs to know everything about the boy he's dating." Kurt's cheeks flushed pink, but he said nothing. Blaine didn't correct her either. Kim didn't pay any attention to their reactions and happily continued. "So listen, Kurt..."

Kim told the Sub all about her childhood with Blaine, and even if the Dom found it embarrassing, he was happy that Kurt found it so humorous. Kurt loved to hear what Blaine was like as a young child and all the trouble he caused and Blaine liked to hear Kurt laugh. It was a win-win situation. Kurt noticed that Kim and Blaine had spent more time at Blaine's aunt and uncle's house than at their own. Kim also told him about her time in Tennessee and how much she had loved it there.

"What made you come back?" Kurt asked curiously, taking a sip of his water.

"Chad." Kim's face lit up. "We Bonded a year ago. I met him in Tennessee. He was looking for a change in scenery and knowing I came from Ohio, he decided to find a job here and take me with him. He's an elementary school teacher. He loves his job."

"Do you like your job?" Kurt asked. He had never met a Bonded couple that worked separate careers before. It was one thing for a Sub to be able to work, but to work away from their Dom's watchful eye? It was practically unheard of. Adam had forbidden him to find a job. He thought that counted for all Bonded couples.

Kim shrugged. "It's just to pay the bills and my schooling. I'm studying Fashion at Westerville University." Kurt gaped at her. "I want to be a fashion designer and make my own clothing line."

"And your Dom doesn't mind?" Kurt stared at her in awe.

"Why would he?" Kim asked, frowning. "Chad is proud of what I do. He supports me 100%."

Kurt stared at her in disbelief. Blaine took another sip of his water, watching Kurt's reaction. He had hoped that Kim was working that day and that she would tell Kurt all about her life, her studies and her relationship with her Dom. He wanted to show Kurt that it was possible for a Sub and a Dom to have an equal relationship. Of course, he could've just asked Jeff and Nick to come along instead and have them ease into this particular conversation, but he wanted Kurt to meet other people who had an equal relationship, and his plan seemed to work.

"Doesn't he mind that you're away a lot?" Kurt asked.

Kim shrugged once more. "Not really. We're together every night. We own an apartment on East Road a few blocks away. He always comes to pick me up after work." She smiled dreamily.

"What if your fashion line gets picked up by other designers and you have to move away? What if he stops you?"

Kim laughed, but when she saw that Kurt was serious she stopped. "He'd never stop me. He loves me. Why would he stop me?"

Kurt stared at his glass of water. Adam had _forbidden_ him from leaving the house, and Kurt couldn't ignore a command. "Um... I don't know."

"Blaine, would you ever forbid your future Sub from doing the things he loves in order to stay at home to cook and clean?" Kim turned to Blaine.

Blaine snorted. "Of course not. He would be allowed to do whatever he wanted and I'd support him." He glanced at Kurt who ducked his head shyly.

"Ok, I have to go. My break is over. Did you two want anything to eat?" Kim stood up and looked at the two, thinking the answer would probably be no. She was correct, seeing Blaine and Kurt shake their heads silently, Blaine looking at Kurt and Kurt staring at his lap. Kim leaned over and squeezed Kurt's shoulder. "You have to find a good Dom, Kurt." She glanced quickly at Blaine before turning back to Kurt. "Chad is the best thing that's ever happened to me." She smiled gently at him and Kurt nodded softly. "It was nice meeting you." She leaned over to Blaine and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before returning back to work.

Blaine watched Kurt as he glanced around the room. "Are you all right?"

Kurt nodded. "Better than I have been. This place... Everyone is just enjoying each other's company. I like it here." He watched as Kim made her way back to help another couple. "She's nice."

"She's one of a kind." Blaine agreed.

Kurt reached out and squeezed Blaine's hand. "I'm glad you had her during your childhood."

"Me too."

"I still want to know what happened when you were seven, dressed as a teddy bear and stuck in a car door." Kurt quipped smugly. Blaine groaned, putting his head in his hands in embarrassment. Kurt giggled.

Blaine glanced at the clock and saw that it was getting late. They had to hurry if they wanted to make it to Warbler's practice on time. "We have to go, otherwise Wes will kill us."

After they placed money on the table, tipping Kim for her service, they walked to Blaine's car.

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean it when you said that you would let your Sub make his own choices and support him?"

"Of course I meant it." Blaine said sweetly. He opened the passenger side door for Kurt to get in. After he made sure Kurt was safely inside, he closed the door and walked to his side of the car, sitting behind the steering wheel. Before he started the car, he turned to Kurt and said, "For me, it's important that my Sub is happy and safe because that, in turn, makes me happy and that's how a true Bond works, or at least that's how I _think_ it should work."

Kurt nodded a little shyly, staring at his lap. He had experienced firsthand how powerful and abusive a Dom could be. He thought he would never want to be Bonded again, but when he heard Kim talk about her Dom, saw how Nick and Jeff interacted and how the couples in the Heart Lodge acted, he wanted all of that. Maybe there was still someone out there for him. Someone who would look right into his broken soul and still love him. ' _Someone like Blaine.'_ He added in his mind. A mean voice in the back of his mind said, _'Yeah, but he doesn't love you. How could he? You're not worthy.'_

Blaine started his car and they drove off, back to Dalton.

xxx

 **'Meet me in my room.'**

Trent frowned at the new text message. It was from Seth. He still hadn't heard anything from him about meeting up to get ready for the competitions and so had already given up on the Dom. Trent was on his way to the music room to attend the Warbler auditions. Wes would never forgive him if he skipped it. **'I can't. I have Warbler practice.'**

He hadn't even put his phone away before he got another text.

 **'Ok, I'll be there.'**

Trent shook his head, exasperated. **'No, I'll meet you after.'**

 **'I'm already on my way.'**

Trent sighed and threw his hands up in the air. _'I give up.'_ He thought to himself. He put his phone away. He couldn't stop Seth from going to the music room, but Trent refused to arrive after him. He was curious to hear what Seth had to say. It must be important if he wanted to meet up, or at least important to Seth at least. Trent couldn't care less. ' _Whatever Seth has to say can wait, just like he's made me wait._ _The Warblers comes first.'_ Trent paused in his steps and shivered, realizing how much his inner voice sounded like Wes.

His attempt at arriving to the music room first was futile when he noticed Seth standing just outside the door. His dark hair was hanging half in front of his familiarly bright green eyes and he was wearing that stupid, cocky smile on that stupid, cocky face of his. Seth smiled even wider when he saw Trent. Trent could only glare. _'What is he so happy about?'_

"Hope you're having a good day, Trent."

"It was going great, until now..."

Seth nodded seriously. "I know what you mean. Singing and dancing around while everyone's looking. It must be a nightmare." Seth watched as a few Dom's and fellow Warblers entered the music room with a scowl on his face.

Trent crossed his arms. "I'm not talking about the Warblers. Why did you never call me or text me back? Did you even receive the email?"

Seth shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "I was busy."

Trent narrowed his eyes. He didn't want to know what, or rather _who_ , Seth had been busy with. "I don't care about your sexual escapades. You asked me to compete with you. If you don't want to work with me now, then just say so, okay? I don't have time for this." He tried to push by Seth, but the Dom grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"I wasn't busy screwing around." Seth hissed. His green eyes turned cold and Trent pulled his arm free. "You don't know me."

"That's right." Trent nodded. "And I don't want to know you, Seth. I just want to win this competition and I can't do it alone. If you don't want to work with me anymore, then that's fine with me. We can part here and I can find someone else to partner with, who will gladly help me win." Trent faltered a little when he heard the slight hurt in the Dom's voice. He was about to apologize for suggesting that Seth was sleeping around, but Seth interrupted him.

"Yeah, right. As if you could find a better partner than me." Seth said arrogantly. Trent's mouth clinched tightly shut and he grinded his teeth in annoyance. It looked as if the Seth he knew was back again. "I want to set a time to meet up. _Really_. I've put together a couple of recipes we could use."

Trent couldn't hide his surprise. He honestly thought that either Seth had forgotten all about the competition or that he would make Trent do all the work and take credit for it later. Seth smiled at the sight of a surprised Trent. That surprised Trent even more because it wasn't an arrogant smile upon the boy's face, but a soft smile, as if Seth saw something that made him happy. It even made him more attractive, if Trent was being honest.

Trent swallowed and quickly turned his eyes towards his shoes. He had to pull himself together. "We can't use the kitchen. The head of the kitchen staff said that because we wasted the opportunity we had before, we're no longer able to make appointments we don't intend to keep."

Seth snorted. "I know a kitchen we can use. We can go there after your Warbler practice."

"Fine." Trent said.

"Great. I'll wait here." Seth said, standing next to a group of guys that Trent had never seen before. Trent looked at the nervous expressions on their faces. Then he knew who they were and why they were waiting outside the music room. These were the boy's auditioning for the Warblers.

Trent thought about telling Seth that he shouldn't wait there since the Dom hated singing and would be called upon to audition, but then he saw Nick and Jeff walk by. Trent noticed the hungry look in Seth's eyes as he stared at Jeff's ass. Trent just stared at Seth in a deadpan manner and decided not to warn the Dom. _'Let him fend for himself.'_ He turned around and smiled to himself. It would be great fun to see Seth squirm. "You do that. See you soon." And he walked into the room.

xxx

Kurt and Blaine barely made it back to Dalton in time, so they ran to the music room. Blaine, however, stopped dead in his tracks once he saw Travis standing by the music room door talking to Thad. "What are you doing here?" Blaine asked, a scowl firmly on his face.

"Auditioning!" Travis turned towards them with a bright smile.

"Since when can you sing?" Blaine asked. He had never heard Travis sing and he had known him for years.

Travis decided to ignore him and he walked up to Kurt. "Hi." Kurt cocked his head a little, trying his best to remember his name. Travis smiled gently, completely in awe of Kurt's beauty. _'Kurt really is beautiful.'_ "Travis Brown, remember?"

"Oh, yes. I remember." Kurt said politely as the Dom's name suddenly dawned on him. He was ashamed he had forgotten. He had only met Travis once, but he had been really nice to him…and he wasn't bad looking either. "I'm sorry. I've met so many people recently and..."

"It's okay."

Kurt relaxed, glad the Dom wasn't angry. "Good luck on your audition."

Travis shifted nervously on his feet. Blaine narrowed his eyes. Travis was never nervous, not even before a big fight. Blaine knew that Travis was faking it. _'The bastard.'_ "Any advice?" Travis asked. "I've never auditioned before, and you got in so...?" He looked at Kurt desperately, but frowned when Kurt froze, his eyes on the ground.

"I didn't audition exactly." Kurt muttered. He was glad he was accepted into the Warblers, but still felt that he didn't deserve it. It was because of Blaine that he got in, not because he auditioned.

"That doesn't mean you don't deserve it." Blaine squeezed his hand, making Kurt look up into his eyes. Kurt nodded slowly back, squeezing back and not letting his hand go.

Travis glared at their joined hands. He quickly pulled himself together. "Of course not. You're amazing, Kurt."

Kurt frowned, confused. "You haven't heard me sing yet."

Travis shrugged. "I don't have to. I'm sure of it." He gave Kurt a confident smile, but Kurt seemed to retreat into himself. Travis was dumbfounded. He was always so generous with his compliments and he had never seen someone close themselves off when he gave them. Normally they would be flattered.

"Excuse us. We're already late." Blaine brushed past Travis, tugging Kurt along who gave Travis a quick 'good luck' without looking at him. They closed the door behind them.

When Travis turned around to continue his conversation with Thad, he noticed that the Sub was gone too and he hadn't even heard him leave. He sighed, leaning against the wall, waiting to be called to audition. Today was just not his day.

xxx

Wes began the meeting with auditions first. Thad wrote the names down and David called them in one by one. So far, no one expressed enough potential to join the Warblers. One Dom just couldn't sing at all. There were also two Subs who just giggled and stared at Blaine. It was obvious the only reason they wanted to be in the Warblers was to spend more time in his presence. Wes was growing tired and rubbed at his head before standing up, announcing "Will everyone who's only here to get into Blaine's good graces, leave?" Three other Sub's blushed brightly. Turning on their heel, they left without doing their audition. Blaine shook his head, his eyes wide. He stared uncomfortable at his knees.

Trent smiled smugly when he heard David's tone of surprise as he saw Seth standing outside, waiting with all the others who chose to audition. However, Seth didn't even seem to be affected by the unexpected call and he strode in with long confident strides. Trent's smile quickly faded. Seth smiled smugly at him. That smile told Trent everything he needed to know. Seth knew that Trent thought he couldn't sing, so he was obviously going to put on some kind of show. Seth wasn't going to back down from showing off. He refused to let Trent win at anything. Trent crossed his arms.

As it turned out, Seth could actually sing. He performed a really good rendition of Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" and even churned out some silly dance moves. It didn't bother Seth at all that he was singing in front of strangers. Trent would've been mad that his plan had failed, but he was too busy being surprised. He had no idea that Seth could sing and he was actually good. He laughed with the others when Seth did another over the top dance move, as if he was parading a cat walk. He couldn't help himself.

When the song was over, Seth bowed and took in the applause. His green eyes locked with Trent's. The Sub clapped, smiling and staring at him in awe. Seth smiled back a little uncomfortably. He wasn't used to getting approving looks, as if he had just done something good. Growing up with an alcoholic mother and an abusive father just made you walk on egg shells all the time. He _hated_ his parents. He had arranged with the Principal for him to be able to stay at Dalton every weekend. He had to go home every holiday though, because the school was closed.

Seth made sure he visited his parent's house at least once a week. Not because he wanted to, but because he had a little nine-year old sister, Lily, that needed to be taken care of. All he could do was make sure that Lily knew how to take care of herself. He taught her how to do laundry, cook, clean up and hide from their father, but he still felt like he was failing. Seth worried everyday for her life. There was nothing he could do to get his sister out of that house. Luckily, his father hadn't put his hands on her yet. Apparently beating up girls was a step too far, even for him.

He quickly avoided Trent's gaze. He couldn't stand the look of someone who was awed by something he had just done, as if it had been something great. He left the room to wait for his results.

Travis entered the room then. He was greeted warmly by everyone, except for Blaine who just scowled at him. "My name is Travis Brown." He glanced at Kurt. "And I will be singing 'Fix you' by Cold Play." He got a few cheers from a number of Warblers. Blaine glared at them too. "I would like to perform the acoustic version. Can I borrow the guitar?" Thad gave a sharp nod and Travis picked up the guitar and began to play.

Soon, Travis' voice filled the room. At first his voice was a little unsteady, but it improved a lot during the second chorus. Blaine hated to admit that Travis could sing. His voice wasn't suited for the fast up-tempo songs, but it was perfect for slow, acoustic songs. Once he was finished, he received loud applause from everyone.

Travis put the guitar down and glanced at Thad. He saw the Sub wiping a few tears away while still trying to clap. Travis resisted the urge to put his arms around Thad's shoulders and quickly looked at Kurt, who gave him a shy smile. That was good enough for Travis and he gave a big smile back. Kurt's cheeks turned pink.

Wes asked him to leave the room so that they could vote. After a short discussion, it was obvious that Seth and Travis both made the Warblers. Seth had wrapped everyone around his finger and everyone was moved by Travis' version of 'Fix you'. Blaine and Sebastian were the only ones who protested at Travis joining the Warblers. When asked why, Sebastian said that Travis' nose was too big for his head and that he would be too distracted by it while performing. Wes didn't bother asking Blaine why he didn't want Travis to join. The rage on the Dom's face was explanation enough.

David quickly called in the boys who auditioned and they were told the news. Travis cheered, but Seth was unmoving. Those who didn't make it into the Warblers left the room, disappointed. Travis and Seth were asked to sit down so that they could discuss the set list. Travis took a seat in the back and Seth sat down next to Trent. He didn't pay attention to Wes at all and turned to Trent with his a smug grin firmly plastered on his face.

"Your plan didn't work."

"What plan?" Trent asked innocently.

Seth scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm impressed. I had no idea that you had an evil side to you."

"I don't." Trent looked at Seth. "You liked performing." Seth avoided his eyes, as if he was embarrassed by liking to sing and dance. "And you were good, Seth. Really good. I'm impressed." He gave Seth a soft smile.

Seth stared at him in disbelief. He always thought of Trent as a stuck up, stick in the mud. He obviously didn't know Trent very well. He only ever saw him when they were competing against each other for this or that, and Trent's eyes were always filled with rage during those times. He didn't know Trent had a softer side to him. Seth shivered when Trent gave his shoulder a squeeze. He wasn't used to compliments. Luckily, Trent didn't expect a response back because he had his eyes facing forward.

Jeff was talking about dance moves. Seth turned back to Trent. Riling Trent up was funnier than having a nice Trent next to him. A nice Trent he didn't know how to handle, but he was used to getting hateful glares sent his way. "Do you think Jeff would come up to my room after this is all over?"

Trent almost fell off his chair from shock. He stared at Seth in disgust and hissed, "Jeff has a boyfriend." Everyone knew Nick and Jeff were dating. No one dared mess with that relationship because Nick would go berserk if something happened to Jeff. He thought Seth knew.

Seth gave Trent a wicked grin. "I know, but he isn't Bonded right?"

"He has a boyfriend." Trent repeated, slowly articulating each word. "I thought you never touched Sub's who are..."

"Bonded, yes." Seth interrupted. "And Jeff isn't."

"Yet." Trent glared at Seth. He couldn't believe his ears. One moment Seth had almost seemed human and now he was back to his sex deprived self. He wanted to slap that arrogant grin right off of his face. "They're as good as. Listen, Nick will kill you if you make a move on Jeff, and if he doesn't kill you, I'll finish the job."

"It's just a game, Trent. Relax." Seth leaned back and stared at Jeff. Trent had to restrain himself from slapping the Dom. _'Nick wouldn't see it as a game.'_ He thought wryly.

Wes deemed the meeting to be over and everyone got up to leave. Seth quickly stood up and walked over to Jeff. Trent stared dumbfounded at him. _'Surely Seth can't be this stupid? Is he actually doing this?'_

"So, Jeff. I was wondering if maybe you'd want to come up to my room later." Seth asked, even daring to touch Jeff's arm.

 _'Yes, he is.'_ Trent groaned.

Jeff jumped back as if he had just been burned. Everyone who was still in the room, Kurt, Blaine, Travis, Sebastian, Thad, Wes and David stared at them, completely floored by the boy's audacity. Nobody would ever expect someone to ask Jeff out because they all knew the consequences.

And sure enough, Nick was running at Seth like a raging bull. For a moment, Trent thought about stepping in front of him, but thought better of it once he saw Nick's face. Nick tackled Seth to the ground and started to hit him anywhere he could reach.

Trent could hear a bone break with a loud _CRACK_. He could hear Seth groan out in pain and wondered why no one was doing anything. He glanced around the room.

Blaine, Wes and David were staring had at where Seth asked Jeff to his room, still in shock. They couldn't believe someone could be so stupid. Travis stood in front of Thad, keeping him safe from the fight. Sebastian stared at the fight with a bored expression on his face. Kurt leaned against the wall, his hands covering his ears as if he could shut out the sounds coming from Seth.

After another _CRACK_ reverberated around the room, Trent couldn't stand it any longer and turned to the Dom's in the room. "Do something!" Blaine, Wes and David glanced at each other. They weren't all that eager to help. They all thought that Seth deserved it.

Finally, Blaine stood up, quickly followed by Wes and David and grabbed Nick's arm. Nick quickly turned over to his new attacker and threw a punch at Blaine. Blaine quickly ducked, but didn't let go of Nick's arm. It was obvious he had experience with Nick losing control.

"Calm down, Nick." Blaine hissed, quickly losing his breath from the struggle. He glanced at Wes and David who moved forward and grabbed Nick's other arm. David, being the bigger one of the three, grabbed Nick around the waist and together they hoisted Nick off of Seth. It took all three of them to drag Nick from the room. Jeff quickly followed them.

Travis turned to Thad. "You okay?" Thad looked at the body of Seth and didn't even know if he was still alive. Kurt was still shaking in the corner, Sebastian sitting next to him trying to calm him down. Thad looked at Travis. If Travis hadn't been standing between him and the fight, Thad probably would've gotten caught right in the middle of it. Nick was his friend, but everyone knew that when he was angry, he was always too far gone to recognize friend from foe. Thad slowly nodded. He was okay.

Trent leaned over Seth's body in worry. His nose was bleeding, he had a cut on his lip and there was blood streaming from his ears. Seth needed a doctor, most likely, a hospital. Trent turned to the people still in the room. "He needs a doctor. Call 911!"

Seth moved his lips. Trent had to lean closer to hear what he had to say. "No d-doctor."

"This isn't the time to be stubborn." Trent snapped.

Seth tried to sit up. Trent supported him. "No hospitals. I have a first aid kit in my room. Just take me to my room, Trent."

Trent huffed. "Fine, but don't blame me if you die." He pulled Seth gently to his feet.

Seth managed a smile, which looked kind of terrifying with his teeth and lip covered in blood and all. "Don't worry. I won't." He leaned heavily against Trent, but the Sub still managed to get him out of the room.

"Kurt, please look at me." Sebastian was trying to calm the Sub down, but so far no such luck. Kurt was shaking and had curled himself into a ball. Sebastian was panicking because he had no idea what to do. He wasn't used to this. "He's gone, Kurt. Nick won't hurt you."

"Let me try." Travis walked over.

"He doesn't need a Dom right now. Go away." Sebastian hissed, putting his arms around Kurt's shoulders protectively.

"I used to calm my little brothers down every time they had a nightmare."

"He didn't have a nightmare." Sebastian responded acerbically.

Travis ignored Sebastian and sat down next to Kurt. "Hey Kurt, remember me?" Sebastian watched as Travis kept talking on and on about random stuff. For a moment, Sebastian thought it had worked. Kurt seemed to be relaxing back against the wall.

"I did it." Travis smiled proudly. He was getting desperate. If the story about him dressed as a teddy bear when he was three didn't help calm Kurt down, he didn't know what would.

"Blaine." Kurt muttered.

A moment later, Blaine appeared in the doorway, looking battered and exhausted. He had a bruise on his cheek and his left eye was steadily turning blue to match. It looked as if Nick hadn't calmed down yet. Nobody asked how Kurt had known that Blaine was on his way. They watched in silence as Kurt got on his feet and ran into Blaine's arms.

"Kurt, I'm so sorry I left. Are you okay?" Blaine held the shivering boy close.

"I am now." Kurt said sincerely. He let go of Blaine and his eyes widened in shock when he saw his face. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine."

Kurt gave him a don't-argue-with-me look. "Come on. Let's go get you cleaned up."

"I said I'm fine." Blaine said, sitting down. "I just need some rest."

"Wait here." Kurt was already out of the room before Blaine could respond.

"Where is Nick?" Thad asked Blaine.

"In his room. Jeff is with him. He needs some time to cool off." Blaine touched the bruise on his cheek and winced. Nick really could throw a punch. "Seth is such an idiot. Where is he?"

"He wanted to go to his room. Trent is with him."

"Someone should really talk to Trent." Blaine said. "Nobody is safe with that…scum."

"I don't think Seth will be doing much of anything for a while." Travis countered. "I heard his nose break and by the way he was walking, I'm betting he has a few broken ribs too."

"Good." Blaine would buy Nick a big present for his birthday.

The bell rang then, signaling that it was dinner time. Sebastian was already out the door.

"Aren't you coming?" Travis asked.

"Kurt told me to wait." Blaine shrugged. "So, I guess I better do that." Travis gave a nod before leaving the room with Thad. A few minutes later, Kurt came in to the room out of breath and with flustered cheeks.

"It's ridiculous that no one has first aid kits in their rooms!" Kurt exclaimed, sitting down next to Blaine and opening the box.

Blaine frowned. "You went to all this trouble to…"

"Heal you, yes. Now sit still." Kurt said. "I'm not an expert, but I know a few things about treating bruises." Blaine didn't really want to think about how Kurt knew those things he knew about treating bruises.

"Kurt, you don't have to do this." Blaine protested, but he sat still as Kurt gently cleaned his wounded face.

"I want to take care of you, so shut up." Kurt snapped. Immediately he stilled his movements. He had gone too far. He knew it, but he was just so worried seeing Blaine covered in bruises. Blaine looked damaged and that wasn't ok. Blaine should never look damaged. _'Not like I'm damaged. Blaine deserves better.'_

Blaine only shot him a grumpy look and sat still. Kurt let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and continued with what he was doing. For a while, Blaine just watched Kurt work. Then he couldn't take the silence, or the closeness of Kurt and his soft touches any longer. "So where did you get the first aid kit if no one had one?"

"I keep one in my room, just for emergencies." Kurt studied the bruise cream he dabbed on Blaine's cheek. He made sure to cover the whole bruise. He wanted to put some around Blaine's eye too, but the Dom began to squirm. "Can you just sit still and stop making such a fuss?"

"I don't want to have that stuff near my eye. I'm fine, Kurt. Really." Blaine reassured, covering his bruised eye with one of his hands. "It'll just take some time to heal. That's all."

"Fine." Kurt sighed in defeat. Blaine dropped his hand from his face relieved and Kurt quickly smudged some of the cream onto Blaine's battered eye. He giggled when Blaine stared at him in shock. He had no idea Kurt could be so _sneaky._

Kurt put away his first aid kit, still smiling smugly at Blaine, but Blaine wasn't angry. He was actually really happy that Kurt showed him a side of himself he hadn't seen before. Blaine was beginning to think that Kurt was finally starting to show his true self.

"Thank you for this." Blaine pointed at his cream-covered eye.

Kurt smiled gently before his face turned serious. "Don't do it ever again, Blaine."

"Do what?"

"Put yourself in danger like that. I don't want you to get hurt. Ever."

"I don't call it danger. It's just Nick." Blaine joked, laughing softly. His face turned serious when Kurt didn't smile. He grabbed his hands and squeezed. "Kurt, I'll never put myself in harm's way ever again."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good." Kurt got to his feet. "I have to go put this away and I'm not exactly hungry. I think I'll just go do my homework."

Blaine nodded, standing up too. "I'll walk you to your room and then I'll have a talk with Seth. One of the wonderful tasks of being floor supervisor. Wes won't be happy that I have to report a fight that occurred during Warbler practice to the principal." Blaine cringed.

xxx

Trent placed Seth down on his bed gently. The room was just as messy as always with the boy's floor covered in clothes. Trent hoped that there wasn't some poor Sub hiding in the Dom's showers this time around. "Do you ever clean?"

Seth started to laugh, but regretted it when the pain in his ribs worsened. "In my left drawer, there are some bandages and there's an icepack in the freezer."

Trent turned to Seth. "Freezer? You have a TV and a refrigerator?"

Seth shrugged and hissed when the movement caused pain in his shoulder. He pointed at a blanket covering something. Trent gave Seth the bandages he found in the indicated drawer and walked over to the blanket-covered box. Lifting the blanket, he saw a mini fridge under it. He opened it and wasn't surprised to find alcohol in it. He grabbed the ice pack and wrapped a thin towel around it, handing it over to Seth. He saw the Dom struggling with the bandage and rolled his eyes.

He turned away to find a bowl in one of the drawers and filled it with warm water from the sink in his bathroom. "Do you have any idea how stupid all of this was? You're an idiot. I mean, what were you even trying to accomplish?" Trent made his way back to the room. Seth was lying down, the bandage lay uselessly next to him and he was holding the icepack against his forehead. "I warned you, didn't I?"

Seth groaned. "Can you stop yelling? My head hurts."

"No, I am not done yet!" Trent raised his voice even louder, pulling a chair towards the bed while handling the bowl full of water with the other. He picked another towel up off the floor. He doubted that any of this was clean, but he couldn't care less. He had to clean those blood covered wounds, and if Seth died due to infection because there was something growing on his towels then, that was his fault. He should really clean his room. Besides, it was obvious Seth had no idea what he was doing. "Nick could have killed you, _should_ have killed you. You had no right asking Jeff out." He sat down on the chair and pushed the towel in the hot water. Seth made some noise of protest, but Trent ignored it. "Shut up and come here. Let me clean you up."

Seth tried to sit up and lean closer, but groaned out in pain when his ribs protested.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did that hurt? …Good." Trent mumbled, pulling Seth closer and ignoring the Dom's glare.

For a moment, Seth thought that Trent was going to choke him with his towel, but the Sub cleaned his wounds surprisingly gently. He listened and watched as Trent ranted on and on while still concentrating on cleaning his wounds. His cheeks were flustered, probably because of his rage, but Seth thought that only made Trent more attractive. He had never met someone like Trent. The Subs he met were always putty in his hands. No ever stood up to him. They usually just followed his lead.

Trent didn't though. Trent fought him, resisting his every move and Seth doubted that he could ever persuade Trent into having sex with him. Trent had class. He was proud to be a single Sub and he was smart enough to make it on his own. Besides that, Trent wasn't exactly Seth's type. He liked easy going Subs. The kind that didn't rant or complain.

Seth relaxed under Trent's gentle touch and finally stopped resisting, listening to Trent's rant silently. He couldn't help but think that an angry Trent was a hot Trent, and ticking the Sub off was most definitely fun. It was worth Nick beating his ass. Besides, Seth never walked away from a challenge. Getting Trent in his bed wasn't a lost cause yet.

"I still think you need to go to the hospital." Trent said, once he had cleaned all of the Dom's wounds. The towel and hot water were soaked with blood. He hadn't liked it when Seth had grown so silent. _'What if he had brain damage?'_

"I think he broke my nose."

Trent raised an eyebrow. "Be glad that's all he broke. It could've been worse."

Seth rolled his eyes. "I was just joking. I wasn't actually going to sleep with Jeff."

"Obviously." Trent responded dryly, although to be honest, Trent wasn't sold that Seth had been joking, because he had sounded pretty serious when he had asked Jeff to his room. Trent took a calming breath. "Everyone is really angry about this, Seth. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you get beaten up again. This isn't a game! A bond is a sacred and serious thing between two people and although Nick and Jeff aren't technically bonded, they're practically as good as. That's not something you mess with." He sighed and stood up, grabbing the bowl and making his way to the bathroom. "Just watch your back when we have our next Warbler practice. Nobody likes a Dom who tears relationships apart. They don't care if you get beaten up or killed."

"So, why do you care?" Seth asked, his voice croaking. He was having trouble breathing through his broken nose.

"I don't." Trent turned to face the Dom, with a deep frown on his face. _'What gave Seth the idea that I care about his wellbeing?'_

Seth sat up straighter. "You are the only one who spoke up for me and told the rest of them to stop Nick from killing me. I heard you. I may have been beaten to a pulp, but I wasn't deaf. You brought me here and yet you claim that no one cares about me. Why didn't you just leave me if you don't care?"

Trent thought about responding with a smart answer, but he had no idea what to say. _'Seth is right. Why did I care for him after such an idiotic action? He deserved all he got, but still… I couldn't leave him there to die. That had nothing to do with caring about Seth though. That had everything to do with being a decent human being.'_

Trent awkwardly cleared his throat. "The floor of the music room would have gotten messy." Seth laughed, despite his pain. Trent couldn't help but smile in return. Seth's laugh was infectious.

For a moment, Trent cleaned the bowl in silence and Seth relaxed on his bed with his eyes closed. Trent cleared his throat.

"So, tell me, does that cheap pick-up line stuff really work on guys?"

Seth opened his eyes. "Why? Want some dating advice?"

Trent scoffed. "As if I need it."

"Really? You date a lot?" Seth tried to make his tone casual, but his Dom side was not happy thinking about Trent dating someone.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Nor did you answer mine."

"I asked you a question first." Trent put the bowl away and turned around, looking at the mess on the floor. He shook his head. _'Why do I even bother?'_

"Usually, I don't need words." Seth bragged, lowering his voice seductively. "I just look them right in the eye..." He gazed into Trent's bright blue eyes. "…and that's that." It was at that moment that Seth expected for Trent to fall to his knees and beg him to take him right then and there, but the Sub just raised his eyebrows expressionlessly.

"Right." Trent replied, not impressed at all. Seth needed to make a little more of an effort than staring at him with those captivating green eyes. He couldn't believe Subs fell for such a tactic. Didn't they have any pride?

Seth sighed in frustration. He struggled to sit comfortably against his pillow. "Why does this not work on you? It always works on every other Sub I've come across."

"Let me." Trent walked over and took the pillow from behind Seth, shaking it out and then plumping it back up. He then helped the Dom sit up and placed the pillow behind his back once more. "I'm sorry, Seth, but I'm not cheap, nor am I easy, and…well. To put it plainly? You're just not my type." He leaned back and stared smugly at the Dom's demeanor. Disbelief, insult and anger flashed across his face all at the same time. It was always so entertaining wiping that arrogant smile right off of the boy's smug mug.

"But I'm everyone's type." Seth couldn't believe what was happening. Trent didn't think he was attractive…not even a tiny bit. It would take some time for that to sink in properly.

Trent snorted. "Yeah, right. The split lip, the broken nose, the bruised ribs and the bruises on your face are totally attractive. I can barely control myself." Seth grinned at the sarcastic tone. Trent really was amusing.

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment!" Trent hissed. The longer he stayed in the room, the more Seth got under his skin. Trent had to get out of there before he completely lost control and hit the Dom. He didn't know if leaving Seth alone would be a good idea though. _'What if he falls asleep and never wakes up because he did end up having brain damage? What if he slips into a coma? ...and why do I even care?'_ "Look, Seth. I'm not a nurse. You need to go to the hospital."

"You did fine, Trent." Seth reassured softly. "I'm feeling okay now. Thank you."

Trent gaped at him. The change from an annoying Dom to a sincere Dom made it seem as if a switch had been flipped. He had no idea what to make of Seth and who he really was.

"What? I just don't think a professional nurse could do a better job than you did." Seth said. "I'll text you if I'm not feeling well."

"Ok." Trent sighed and nodded, feeling a little better about leaving the Dom to his own devices. He would still rather not leave Seth alone, but he couldn't stay there forever. He looked at Seth and thought about how to say goodbye. "Well then, I'll just be going now."

Seth nodded, leaning back into his pillow. "I'll be here, just getting some sleep."

"I can bring you some food later." Trent offered. _'What am I doing? I've done enough for him. Why am I still offering to help him?'_

"I have enough." Seth pointed at his fridge. Trent frowned. He was pretty certain that he hadn't seen any food in the fridge earlier. Only alcohol. He was just about to point that out when someone knocked on the door.

Since Seth was wounded and Trent planned on leaving anyway, he opened the door. "Blaine." He gaped at the black haired Dom. The boy had some kind of cream around his eye.

"Hi." Blaine tried to glance inside the room, but Trent took a protective step forward, blocking Blaine's gaze. For some reason, he didn't want Blaine seeing Seth so…weak. Blaine, being a Dominant, didn't back down from the Submissive's stance. He didn't move an inch. "How is he?"

"He'll be fine." Trent said. "His nose is broken and he has a few bruised ribs. He may have a concussion, but I'm not sure. He refuses to go to the hospital, so I did the best I could for him. He needs to just rest now."

Blaine nodded and took a step back. Trent quickly stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Together, they walked through the empty hallway as most of the students were eating dinner. The silence between them was thick with tension.

"How's Nick?" Trent asked.

"Jeff's with him." Blaine responded simply. "It'll take some time to calm him down."

Trent sighed. Nick was an easy going Dom and he rarely lost control, but when he did, it took days to calm him down. "Seth didn't mean it that way the way everyone thought he meant it. He was just…" Trent trailed off once he noticed Blaine had frozen in place.

"Trent, please tell me you're not defending him." Blaine hissed.

Trent quickly looked at his feet. He could literally feel Blaine's rage radiating off of him. "N-no, but…"

"Good. Because Seth deserved it."

"You know how Seth is." Trent tried to shrug Seth's attitude off casually.

"Sadly, I do." Blaine sighed and seemed to relax a bit, which caused Trent to relax in return. "Trent..."

"Do you know you have cream on your face?"

"What? Oh…yeah. Kurt put it on me." Blaine said proudly. He saw Trent's confusion, but he didn't have time to explain. He had more important things to discuss with the Sub. "Trent, about Seth…I don't know what's going on, between you two, but…"

"There is nothing going on between us." Trent jumped quickly to his own defense, wide-eyed and face flushed. "I just cleaned him up after he got beaten to a pulp."

Blaine raised his hands in a calming manner. "Maybe for you there is nothing going on, but like you said, you know how Seth is." Blaine said gently, a little put off by the Sub's outburst.

This time, Trent froze. _'Is Blaine actually suggesting that Seth might be attracted to me? That's ridiculous.'_ "We're just working together for the cooking competition. That's it. I don't even like him."

"Ok. I'm glad to hear that." Blaine looked at Trent seriously. "You deserve better, Trent. How Seth treats Sub's…" He cringed. "…It's inhuman. He treats them like toys."

"I know. I've caught him with a boy before when I was looking for him."

"And you also know that not all Dom's are like that, right?"

"Of course." Trent wondered where Blaine was going with this. He and Blaine had been friends for years, so of course he knew that most Dom's were decent people.

"You're better than him, Trent. Don't fall for whatever trap he's setting. You deserve better."

Trent stared at his friend and was actually moved that Blaine was watching out for him. Moved and a little bit annoyed. He wasn't a child. He knew what he was doing and what kind of person Seth was. He could take care of himself. "I know."

"Good, and if you ever do want to date, I happen to know a few nice Dom's that would love to go out with you." Blaine said on a lighter note. "Just let me know and I can set it up."

"I'm not really looking for anyone."

"You don't want to spend the rest of your life alone, do you? Meeting new people can't hurt. If anything, you'll make some new friends." Blaine shrugged casually. He hoped that Trent would take up his offer. Trent was a great Sub and he really deserved someone better than Seth. Blaine knew that Trent said there was nothing going on between him and Seth, but that didn't mean that something wasn't _going_ to happen between them. He believed Trent, but Blaine also had eyes. He knew Seth's reputation and he knew the Dom wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted, but even Seth had respect for a Bonded couple. The sooner Trent Bonded, the sooner he would be safely away from Seth's ways.

"Maybe." Trent thought about it. _'It really couldn't hurt to meet some new people, and who knows? I might actually meet someone I like.'_ "I'll think about it and let you know."

Blaine nodded and bid him good night, before walking back to his room. He had an email to send to the principal informing him of what had happened in Warbler practice that afternoon.

Trent went to dinner. As he was walking, his phone buzzed. It was Seth.

 **'It looks like we'll have to postpone our date for another time.'**

Trent rolled his eyes and ignored how his heart beat faster as he had read the words _'our date.'_ He quickly typed back **'Not my fault.'** He hit send and put his phone away. Then he realized what he had sent. _'Was I flirting? Was Seth flirting? Of course he was flirting! You heard what Blaine said._ _He's always flirting.'_

Trent walked into the cafeteria, grabbed some food at random, not caring about his options and sat down next to David. Wes, David and Sebastian were still talking about what had happened earlier that day and didn't even seem to notice Trent. Trent stared at his food, but he wasn't hungry. All he could do was think about Seth. He just couldn't figure out the Dom and that was frustrating. _'I really should take up Blaine's offer…go out and meet new people.'_


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N: Big thanks to my Beta Emerly Felton!**

 **Warnings: Rape (nothing graphic)**

Broken: Chapter 9

Nick opened his eyes. For a moment he wondered where he was, then he saw the familiar surroundings of his own room. He frowned, sitting up. He couldn't remember how he got there. Why was he in bed? Was it night?

"How are you feeling?"

Nick turned his head so fast, his neck cracked. Jeff was sitting in the corner, in the only chair in the room, as far from Nick as possible. Nick relaxed a little bit more, despite his confusion. Jeff always had a calming effect on him. "Hi."

"How are you feeling?" Jeff repeated, his tone cautious.

"I'll feel better when you're in my arms." Nick reached over for Jeff's hand, but Jeff didn't move. "What's wrong?"

"You don't remember?" Jeff asked. He saw the confused look on Nick's face. "Nick, you beat Seth to a pulp in the music room during Warbler practice."

"Why would I...?" Nick didn't finish his sentence as his memories flooded back to him. He remembered Seth's hand touching Jeff's arm and he remembered Seth inviting Jeff back to his room. The only thing that had been on Nick's mind then was the exact same thing that was on his mind now. Jeff was _his_ and Seth had absolutely no right touching him. Nick jumped to his feet.

"Where is he?" Jeff didn't answer. "I've got to find him." Nick was already walking towards the door when Jeff blocked his way. "Jeff, back away."

"No."

Nick reached out to move Jeff out of his way, but when he saw Jeff flinch and close his eyes, he stopped. Jeff had never flinched from him before. The action made his heart stutter. _'Jeff's afraid of me.'_ "D-don't be afraid of me. I would never hurt you, Jeff. I love you." He reached out, but didn't move. He waited for Jeff to take his hand of his own free will.

Jeff opened his eyes. He saw the sincerity in Nick's eyes and quickly closed the gap between them. He wrapped his arms around Nick's neck and pulled him close, feeling Nick relax against him. He breathed in Nick's familiar scent to calm his own nerves down. _'This is still Nick. My Nick. He just lost it... a little.'_

Nick guided them both back to his bed and sat down with Jeff sitting on his lap. "I'm so sorry for scaring you, Jeff. I would never ever hurt you, you know that right? Don't be afraid of me." He reiterated.

Jeff moved so that he could look into Nick's eyes. "I know. I just... You were so angry. I didn't know what to do."

"I'm sorry." Nick apologized again. He sighed. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Jeff. I'm on edge all the time." He shifted Jeff to sit on the bed as he stood and started pacing. "I'm so restless lately. I don't know what to do."

"You're almost eighteen, Nick. Maybe you're restless because your inner Dom thinks it's time." Jeff said. He wanted to talk to Nick about Bonding. Maybe it wasn't the right time just then, but when was the right time? And Nick never wanted to talk about it. If Jeff didn't know any better, he thought that Nick was avoiding the Bonding topic.

"Time for what?" Nick asked, clueless.

"For Bonding." Jeff kept a close eye on Nick's reaction.

"Oh." Nick quickly turned around and avoided Jeff's eyes, choosing to stare out of the window instead. It was dark outside.

Jeff stared at his knees. He had expected a better reaction or at least a normal answer. Now it was obvious to him that Nick had absolutely no desire to Bond with him. _'Otherwise he would have said something, right?'_ Jeff didn't dare to inquire further, not so soon after Nick's outburst. He realized how much he loved Nick. He loved his voice, his laugh, his jokes, and his smile. He loved how his hair was all fluffy and messy when he woke up and he wasn't bad looking either. He couldn't live without him. Losing Nick would break his heart into pieces. Jeff didn't think a life without Nick was possible.

Jeff glanced back at Nick, who still had his back turned to him. "Do you love me?"

Nick quickly turned around. "Yes. More than anything." He walked over, sat down and pulled Jeff close.

Jeff relaxed in Nick's arms, right where he belonged. "Always?"

"Always." Nick stared into Jeff's eyes intensely. He kissed Jeff softly. Jeff could feel the want and the need in the kiss and leaned back until his head hit the pillow. Nick hovered over him and slowly started to unbutton Jeff's shirt, his eyes dark with lust.

Nick loved him. That was all that mattered to Jeff.

xxx

The Warblers were allowed to continue, however there had to now be a teacher present during their practices. Nick got detention for the rest of the semester and Seth had been brought to the hospital for a look over. He had to spend a few days there. Between classes, homework, boxing, Warblers, his extra chores as supervisor and work on the weekend, Blaine hadn't had time to ask Kurt to the ball properly. Of course he could ask Kurt quickly when they had classes, but he wanted to make it clear to Kurt that he wanted to be more than friends. He had to make it clear without scaring Kurt away. He didn't necessarily believe that Kurt would run. He just wanted to do this right.

Kurt was making progress with everything, as September turned into October and October turned into November. Dalton felt like a second home to him and the Warblers were his second family. Instead of doing homework alone, Kurt would sit with Jeff, Thad or Trent and they would do their homework together. After they finished, they would all go to the entertainment room where the rest of the Warblers would be and watch TV or play silly board games. Chess was the game of choice between Kurt and Travis. They would almost play it every day and most of the time Kurt won. He didn't know if Travis was just being nice and let him win or if he was just really bad at this game. Kurt didn't care. He liked spending time with Travis, especially since Blaine seemed busier than ever.

Kurt stared at Blaine, who had his legs draped over a chair in the corner of the room and was reading a book. A Sub walked over to Blaine and Blaine looked up. This wasn't uncommon. As far as Kurt knew, Blaine still didn't have anyone to go to the Ball with and every Sub wanted to go with Blaine. He had been asked so many times that Kurt had lost count.

Kurt frowned when he saw Blaine smile at the Sub. He wished he could hear what they were talking about.

"Another round?" Travis asked, still staring at his beaten chess pawns. Kurt saw the Sub walk away and Blaine turned back to his book.

"Okay." Kurt answered, feeling better.

"This time, I'm going to beat you." Travis sang happily.

Kurt snorted. He loved how Travis was always positive. Even losing nine times wouldn't bring the Dom down. "Only in your dreams."

Nick walked over to Blaine and sat down next to him. "What did you say to that poor Sub?"

Blaine shrugged with his book still in front of his face, but his eyes glanced at the table where Kurt and Travis were playing chess. "Aren't they done yet?"

"Blaine, this is ridiculous. Just ask Kurt to the ball. What's the worst that could happen? Kurt isn't going to say no."

"How do you know that?" Blaine put his book down. "What if he's going with Travis?"

"Jeff said that nobody has asked Kurt yet." Nick said.

Blaine stared at Nick. "They're all idiots. Can't they see that he's beautiful?" He wanted the whole world to see how beautiful Kurt was and at the same time he wanted to keep Kurt to himself. Love was weird.

"They do." Nick said calmly. "Rumor has it that they don't dare go near Kurt because of an overly protective Dom with big eyebrows and lots of gel in his hair."

Blaine frowned. "Really? They talk about my eyebrows, and not about my ass?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Are you actually insulted by this?"

"A little." Blaine admitted, and then sighed. "You're right, Nick. I'm going to ask Kurt to the Ball."

"Really?" Nick asked surprised. Jeff had asked him to talk to Blaine, but he hadn't expected it to be so easy.

"Yes." Blaine nodded confidently. He glanced again at the table were Kurt and Travis were seated. "But not today."

"Blaine." Nick sighed.

"Today is not the right time, Nick."

"Should I chase Travis away? I could make up an excuse."

Blaine thought about it. It would be amusing to see Nick chase Travis away, but he had to be the better man. He had to ask Kurt out without dirty tricks. He would ask Kurt when there weren't so many people around. "No."

"Really?" Nick had already stood up, but then sat down, disappointed. The Dom looked restless without Jeff near his presence. Speaking of Jeff...

"Where's Jeff?" Blaine glanced around the room, but the blond was nowhere to be seen.

Nick let out a deep, dramatic sigh. "Arranging something for my birthday. I wasn't allowed to enter his room when I went to pick him up on my way here."

Blaine was about to say something, but Trent walked up and sat down next to him. "Can you believe this? Seth..." Trent glanced at Nick to see his reaction, but Nick was already glancing at the door, hoping that Jeff would walk in. "...won't talk to me anymore. I've called him and texted him, but he won't pick up his phone. It's been a month. We only have a few weeks left."

Trent had hoped that things would be different between Seth and him, but the Dom still kept his distance. He wouldn't seek out Trent at school to discuss a new meeting time or talk to him about cooking. During Warbler practice, Seth would walk in, sit in the back, ignore the dirty stares from the other Dom's (they hadn't forgotten what happened with Jeff) and kept to himself. When the bell rang, Seth would always be the first one out of the door. Trent had given up on any cooperation from Seth and had started cooking during the weekends, when he was at home. His mom had supported him. When she asked if Trent had to do this all by himself, Trent hadn't answered. He didn't want to talk about Seth. He was done wasting energy on him.

"You can easily do this by yourself, Trent. You don't need him," Blaine said. "You're the best cook I've ever met."

"Maybe," Trent muttered. _'But I don't want to do everything by myself.'_ He added in his mind.

Since Blaine had offered to arrange a date, the thought hadn't left his mind. Of course he had friends, but the thought of finding a Dom became more appealing as the days passed. It would be nice to be _loved_ by someone.

He thought about Thad and their promise. Suddenly he felt ashamed for wanting a Dom. He had promised Thad that he wouldn't Bond. They were both happy single, but Trent wasn't happy anymore. He wanted what Nick and Jeff had. He wanted someone looking at him the way Blaine looked at Kurt. He didn't want to break his promise to Thad either. Thad was his best friend.

Trent leaned back in his chair. He didn't know what to do anymore. Nick got up when Jeff walked in and embraced him in a tight hug. Trent watched.

"Have you thought about my offer?" Blaine interrupted his thoughts as he saw Trent's longing attention on the couple.

Trent blanched before turning his gaze down to his knees. "Maybe."

Blaine smiled. "You say it like it's something to be ashamed of. Look, Trent, if you really don't want to date, that's perfectly fine. I'm not trying to make you do something you don't want to. It was just an offer." Trent nodded and Blaine stood up. "I'm going to do some homework in my room. See you later." He was already out of the room, when Trent stood up and ran after him.

"Blaine, wait!"

Blaine stopped and turned around, eyebrow raised.

"I... Maybe... I would like to meet other Dom's, but please... don't tell Thad." Trent begged.

Blaine thought that was strange, but he let it go. "Sure. Why would I tell Thad anything?"

"Exactly." Trent's cheeks flushed. He really hated breaking his promise. He could only hope that Thad would understand, eventually. "So ... um, can you maybe..." Suddenly the idea sounded desperate. As if he couldn't get a date on his own.

"I think I know someone who's the right guy for you. He's told me he likes you."

"Oh! Okay." This made things a little easier. "Who?"

"Henry Fords."

Trent gaped at Blaine. Henry Fords was a popular jock and he was on the Football team. He was also a math genius, extremely good looking, friendly to everyone and Trent didn't know he was gay. He remembered vaguely that Henry would greet him whenever they would pass each other in the hallway. Henry had never made a move towards him. "Really? Are you sure?"

Blaine nodded.

"I didn't even know he was gay."

Blaine shrugged. "He doesn't tend to scream it from the roof tops. He broke up with his boyfriend of two years a couple months back. He asked me if I had your number."

 _'Oh, great. A guy with experience and I don't have any experience at all.'_ "What did you say?" Trent asked.

"That I would ask you first if it's okay to give your number to him." Blaine said. Trent stared at Blaine. Blaine really was a good friend. A lot of people would've just given a phone number without even asking. "So what should I say? Can I give him your number?"

"Yes," Trent said quickly. "I mean, sure."

Blaine chuckled. "Ok, I'm going to go find Henry then." Trent thanked him and they said goodbye.

Trent skipped his way to his room. He never skipped. He couldn't believe he was going on a date with Henry Fords.

Xxx

Kurt walked quickly through the hallways of Dalton on his way to the library. He took short cuts and avoided busy areas. Classes were over, but Kurt still wanted to do some homework before dinner. He couldn't believe he was behind again.

Okay, that was a lie. He knows why he was behind. The reason was Blaine. He just couldn't concentrate on anything else. When Blaine wasn't physically with him, he would be present in his thoughts. He just couldn't stop thinking about the Dom and it was driving him crazy.

The whole school was buzzing with excitement as the Christmas Ball drew closer. At first, Kurt didn't want to go for multiple reasons. He remembered his prom at McKinley. He had made his own suit and went with Mercedes to the Prom. That night, as a sick joke from some of his tormentors, he was crowned Prom _Queen._ He'd never been so humiliated in his whole life. He ran out crying and Mercedes brought him home.

Kurt shivered at the memories. He had to remember that Dalton wasn't McKinley. No one hated the fact that he was gay.

Reason two was the outfit. He didn't have money to rent or buy a suit. His dad put all his money in Kurt's education and paying the bills. They barely kept their heads above water. Of course, he could always _make_ something.

Kurt quickly disposed of that idea. The last time he made something wasn't a success either. He didn't want to be laughed at or made fun of.

Reason three was that he still hadn't been asked to the ball.

Kurt wanted to go with Blaine, but the Dom hadn't asked him. Sometimes he thought Blaine wanted to ask him when they were alone, but they were always interrupted by someone and then Blaine would quickly retreat after that.

Now, Kurt thought about just asking Blaine to go to the ball himself. Of course, it was easier said than done. In his mind, he had asked Blaine a million times. In his dreams, Blaine would always tear up, say yes and then fall into his arms and hold him close. Of course, those were only dreams and Kurt knew everything there was to know about broken dreams.

Sometimes the thought of Blaine saying 'no' would cross his mind. Kurt didn't like to think about that option. Or what if Blaine would rather be friends? Kurt didn't think he could bare it.

Kurt was torn. He wanted to ask Blaine out, but he didn't want to ruin their friendship. Blaine's friendship meant everything to him. Blaine was the one who showed him that Dom's weren't all bad.

Kurt walked in the library, still deep in thought. He looked up when he heard a familiar voice. Jeff sat in the corner of the library, glancing through a book and muttering out loud. Kurt hardly ever saw the blond in the library. Jeff usually didn't have the patience to sit still and study.

He walked over and sat down next to the blond. "Hi."

Jeff looked up. When he saw Kurt, his face brightened. "Hey Kurt." He showed him the big book he was reading: _'Everything You Need to Know about Bonding'._ "I'm just looking up some information. Did you know there are different types of Bonds?" Kurt shook his head and Jeff continued. "The most common Bond is when a Sub and a Dom choose to Bond because they love each other. It's simply called the Love Bond." He sighed dreamily, obviously thinking about Nick. Kurt cleared his throat awkwardly. Jeff shook his head. "There are also Forced Bonds." A shiver went down Kurt's spine.

Adam didn't force him to Bond, but it still felt like that. Back then, Kurt was naïve and Adam was an attractive older man who sweet talked him.

"That was common back in the middle ages." Jeff continued, not noticing Kurt discomfort.

"Doms had money and power and chose their Sub. The Sub didn't have a choice. I'm glad that was abolished a few decades ago. It's now illegal to force your Sub into anything." He shivered and glanced back at the book. "Have you ever heard of an Arranged Bond?" Kurt shook his head. "Me neither. Here. It reads: ' _ **The parents will choose the perfect partner for you. The Bond can only be broken if both parents agree to disconnect the Bond. The parents of the Bonded Pair exchange money or land**_.'"

"That still happens?" Kurt asked. He looked horrified at the thought of not choosing for himself. In his mind he saw Burt standing awkwardly in front of a group of boys, not knowing who to choose. He grinned at the thought.

Jeff nodded. "It's rare, of course, but it happens. I'm just surprised I've never heard of it before." He sighed, closing the book. "Maybe if Nick doesn't ask me to Bond, I could always ask my parents to find me someone."

Kurt gave Jeff's hand a squeeze. "He'll ask you. Everyone can see he's crazy about you."

"I'm not sure." Jeff bit his lip. He looked at Kurt. "You were Bonded once, right? How was it? How did it feel?"

Jeff's question brought back bad memories.

 **August 1, 2010**

Kurt wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was warm and he had been cleaning all day. He wanted the whole house spotless so that Adam would be happy. His Sub was screaming at him to do it right this time while his heart was telling him to run. But where could he go?

He hadn't heard anything from his dad or Mercedes. Adam had given him his phone back after a week of doing chores. Kurt had called his dad. He'd planned to tell his dad everything, but something inside him stopped him. His father had warned him not to Bond, but Kurt had been too stubborn and stupid to listen.

He'd been blinded by Adam. Adam led him into his web of lies and charmed him all the way to London. Kurt had been locked inside the house since day one. Adam was mostly locked in his office and didn't want to be disturbed.

Kurt cleaned up his cleaning supplies. He was done for the day. He looked at the clock. He had to hurry if he wanted to shower before making dinner. He ran upstairs to their shared bedroom and cringed when he saw his blanket still on the ground. Adam still hadn't accepted him into his bed.

Kurt's back hurt from sleeping on the floor, but he didn't ask for permission to enter the bed. Maybe it was stubbornness or maybe he was too proud to beg Adam for anything. He already felt humiliated from cleaning and cooking all day. He refused to sink any lower.

Kurt undressed and quickly jumped into the shower. He let the warm water wash all his worries away. After a quick shower, he dressed himself in some simple clothing. Adam didn't like it when Kurt was all dressed up and Kurt didn't want any trouble.

"Kurt?" Adam walked into the bedroom and Kurt froze. Adam never came upstairs before it was time for dinner. Something was wrong. "Oh, there you are." Adam smiled. Kurt used to think it was charming. Now he felt like a little mouse staring into a cat's mouth. "I'm going out tonight, so you don't have to make dinner for me."

Kurt's jaw dropped. Adam had never left him alone in the house before. "There are leftovers for you in the fridge. Not too much though, sweetie. You're already too fat." He walked over to Kurt, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek. Normally he pulled away rather hastily, but this time Adam held Kurt close. "You know, you've been a good boy lately. Maybe... it's time for the next step." He ran his hands over Kurt's back. Kurt froze, cold shivers running down his spine. He knew what Adam meant. Adam's hands landed on Kurt's ass and he pushed their bodies together. He could literally feel Adam's arousal. Adam grinned. "Speechless, I see. I like that." He pulled Kurt into an iron grip and held him closer.

Kurt could feel Adam's cold lips marking his neck and panic set in. "N-no." He struggled against Adam's hold, but the Dom was stronger than Kurt and pushed him back onto the bed. Kurt fell down on the soft mattress. A few moments ago, he had been willing to do anything to sleep in a soft bed. Now all he wanted was to get away from it.

Adam hovered over him and held him down. "Calm down, Kurt. I'll go easy on you." He smothered Kurt with a kiss on the mouth.

Kurt felt powerless. Adam was too strong. He was going to rape him and there was nothing Kurt could do about it, except beg."N-no, Adam. I don't want to. Let me go."

Adam reached for Kurt's shirt. Kurt slapped away his hands. "Stop moving!" Adam hit Kurt hard across his face. Kurt could feel blood dripping from his nose and lay still, trying to recover from the blow to his head. The whole room was spinning. Adam removed Kurt's shirt and unzipped Kurt's jeans.

That sound gave Kurt new strength. He had to get out of here. He would find a taxi, go to the airport and flee back home to safety. With his renewed strength, Kurt threw Adam off of his body and jumped unsteadily to his feet. Adam fell to the ground.

Kurt opened the door and ran down the stairs. He could hear Adam's pounding footsteps behind him, but he didn't look back. He was almost at the front door when he felt a hard push against his back and he was slammed face first against a wall. He slid to the ground, groaning in pain.

Adam roughly pulled Kurt up by his hair onto his feet. Kurt screamed out in pain. "How dare you run away from me? How dare you _reject_ me?"

"Let me go!"

"Never." Adam hoisted Kurt over his shoulder and walked back to the bedroom. Kurt struggled against his capturer, but his mind was still foggy due to the beating and his head hitting the wall. He threw Kurt back on the bed. Kurt tried to crawl away, but Adam pulled him back by one of his feet. Kurt kicked with his other foot and that earned him another blow to the head. "You really think you can find another Dom? Look at you! Nobody will _ever_ love you!" Adam pulled Kurt's jeans off.

Kurt struggled to get up which earned him another blow to the head. The last sound he heard was a zipper. Kurt welcomed the darkness.

Xxx

Kurt opened his eyes. It was dark in the room. The only sound in the room was his own breathing. He was all alone in the darkness. Every movement he made happened in slow motion. Kurt tried to wrap his mind around what happened, but it was like his brain had stopped working.

Kurt tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his back and he fell back onto the mattress. His ass hurt like hell. He slowly checked his face. His nose was swollen and covered with dried blood. Adam! He'd have to clean the blankets before he could get mad at the mess.

Kurt tried to sit up again. He groaned out in pain. His head felt like it had been hit by a bus, multiple times. He wanted to lie back down, but he was too close to the edge of the bed and rolled off, his head hitting the night stand hard.

Kurt welcomed the darkness for the second time that day.

 **November 20, 2011 - Present day**

A firm squeeze to his hand brought Kurt back to the present. He noticed he was shivering. Jeff wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. "I didn't mean to upset you, Kurt. It's okay. He isn't here." Kurt took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart down. He stopped shivering, but Jeff still looked worried. He had no idea what had just happened and how he could calm Kurt down. "Should I go get Blaine for you?"

"N-no, I'm fine." Kurt knew Blaine had extra Warbler practice. He had a big solo for Sectionals. He didn't want to interrupt.

Jeff didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?" Kurt nodded. Jeff's phone buzzed and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "It's Nick. I..."

"Just go, Jeff, I'll be fine." Kurt reassured.

"Ok, I'll see you at dinner." Jeff hesitated to leave Kurt behind, but he had already grabbed his homework. Jeff made his way out of the library, nearly running over Travis who had just entered it.

Travis walked over to Kurt, still looking over his shoulder at Jeff. "He's..."

"I know. He's like a happy Golden Retriever puppy." Kurt said, smiling fondly at where his friend had just turned the corner.

Travis nodded. "May I?" He gestured to the chair next to Kurt.

"Sure."

Travis sat down. Kurt concentrated back on his books in front of him. Travis smiled. Kurt really was beautiful. He'd been searching for Kurt all day. Travis had agreed to meet up with Thad, who was helping him with some homework, at the library. It was just his luck that Kurt happened to be there too. Now he just had to ask him the question. "So, Kurt..."

Kurt looked up.

"I was wondering... I..." Travis swallowed nervously. Why was this so hard? He'd wanted to ask Kurt to the Ball for weeks now. In the corner of his eye, he saw Thad entering the library. For a moment, Travis' brains turned to mush and he couldn't breathe. That seemed to happen a lot lately when he saw Thad.

Thad had been helping him with his homework for the past month. Travis' grades were improving and if he kept it up at this rate, he would graduate at the top of his class. Thad was a patient teacher. Even if he had to explain the reasoning behind certain subjects over and over again, he was always polite and nice about it. After finishing homework, they would always stay and talk about random things.

At one point, Travis realized he'd rather hang out with Thad than with his friends. His friends always talked about sports, women or cars. He didn't really care about any of those things, except boxing. With Thad he could talk about music, movies, the Warblers and about the teachers. He had fun hanging out with Thad.

To Travis' disappointment, his friendship with Thad hadn't moved any further than the pair of them doing homework together and chatting afterwards. He had asked Thad out to get coffee with him quite frequently, but the Sub always refused. Every time he had asked, Thad had looked nervous and would hastily grab his things and almost run away from him. Travis didn't know what was going on. Thad remained a mystery to him.

"Yes?" Kurt's voice interrupted his thoughts about Thad. It was like a bucket of ice water was thrown over Travis.

Thad was scanning the library for Travis, so Travis knew he had only a few seconds to ask Kurt out before Thad would interrupt them. It was now or never. Travis didn't think Blaine would wait much longer before asking Kurt out.

"Would you like to go to the Christmas Ball with me?" The words seemed to come from someone else, but Travis felt his mouth moving and he recognized his own voice.

Kurt stared at him. Travis could see he hadn't expected that. Kurt stayed silent.

"I guess that's a no?" Travis couldn't take the silence anymore.

"I... I'm sorry, Travis but..." Kurt bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He'd never been asked out before. He didn't want to hurt Travis' feelings.

"It's Blaine, isn't it? You want to go with him?"

Kurt blushed, staring at his books. "Yes. I'm sorry, Travis..."

"Don't be." Travis stood up. "Blaine's a great guy." He gently squeezed Kurt's shoulder. "If he's too stupid to see how amazing you are, I'll be available to take you to the Christmas Ball."

"Thank you, Travis. I'll keep that in mind." Kurt smiled.

Travis excused himself and walked over to Thad. Strangely enough, he didn't feel bad about being rejected by Kurt. Not once had the thought ever crossed his mind that Kurt would say 'no' and now that it had happened, he was surprised with how ordinary he felt. He thought he would have taken the rejection worse, but then he saw Thad smiling at him as he walked over, and he quickly forgot all about Kurt's dismissal.

Travis and Thad found a table not too far away from Kurt and sat down to start on their homework.

Kurt's phone buzzed. He looked at the ID and saw that he had a text message from Blaine.

 **'Can you come to the music room? There's something I need to ask you.'**

Kurt's heart was racing. Blaine wanted to ask him something? This was his chance to ask Blaine to the Christmas Ball. He quickly packed his bag, ran out of the library and answered Blaine's text with an **'I'm on my way'**.

Xxx

Trent was sipping his coffee. He knew he must've looked bored, because he _was_ bored. Henry had been talking about himself nonstop. At first, Trent was afraid that there would only be awkward silence between them, but now that they were well into their date, he wished there was some silence, awkward or otherwise.

The cafe Henry chose was loud and the food and coffee sucked. The cafe was filled with students. A group of Doms sat nearby and were daring each other to smack their waitress on her butt every time she walked by. The poor girl was only doing her job. Trent kept a close eye on the group of Doms. If one actually dared to do it, he would throw hot coffee at them.

Henry didn't notice any of this though. He just kept talking about his hobbies, classes, family, friends, how he felt about the class schedules and anything else he could possibly think up an opinion for, as his opinion seemed to be the only one of importance. Trent absently nodded or hummed when Henry looked at him expectantly. Henry seemed fine with it and happily continued.

Finally, Henry interrupted himself to go to the toilet. Trent let out a sigh of relief. He had to get out of there.

"Thinking about sneaking away, are you?"

Trent turned around. Seth was grinning at him. He was wearing a thick coat. His hair was messy and he looked really tired. He sat down. "What are you doing here?"

"Good day to you too, Trent."

"I'm on a date."

Trent scoffed. "Please. Our lil ol' Henry is so boring. I fell asleep. I was surprised to see you still here when I woke up." He crossed his arms.

"Are you stalking me?"

"I just happened to be here."

"Really?" Trent quirked an eyebrow. He looked around the café. He felt so out of place. "You come here often?"

Seth shrugged. "Sometimes."

"Classy."

"You know what?"

"Do I want to know?"

"You don't belong in this joint." Seth said sincerely. Trent gaped at him, not knowing what to say. "And Henry isn't the right guy for you."

"Really? And why not?"

Seth rolled his eyes. He didn't want to have a conversation. He just wanted Trent away from this place and away from Henry. "He's boring. You deserve better."

"Really?" Trent stared at Seth in surprise. _'Since when does Seth care about who I date?'_

"Come on. Let's go." Seth stood up.

"And where exactly is it that we're going?"

"You'll see."

"No, I won't. I can't just leave." Trent wanted nothing more than to leave, but it would be rude.

"Sure you can. Come on." Seth easily pulled Trent to his feet.

"I'm not going without saying goodbye." Trent pulled himself free and sat back down.

"Fine. Meet me at the corner in five minutes."

"And if I don't? Seth, you can't just barge in here and drag me out. I haven't heard from you in weeks? During Warbler practices you ignore me and now you expect me to just drop everything and go with you? Where have you been?"

"See you in five minutes if you want to win the cooking competition." Seth answered and stalked out the door.

Trent stared after him. Once again, Seth remained a mystery to him. He had never met such a complicated person. His view of Seth was blocked when Henry came back. Now that Seth finally wanted to work with him on the competition, he couldn't let the opportunity slip by. He had to make up an excuse to get out of this date.

Trent pulled out his phone and pretended to have a text message while Henry sat down. Ok, it may not have been the best excuse, but Trent couldn't think of anything better that fast. If Henry hadn't immediately started talking again about how amazing he was during his last football training, Trent might have felt more guilty about what he was going to do.

Henry noticed the phone in the Sub's hand. "Trouble?"

"Actually..." Trent tried to look as apologetic as he could manage. "I have to go. A friend of mine..."

"It's okay." Henry interrupted. He glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. I have to go to football practice anyway."

"Great." Trent was already on his feet. "I'll see you later." Before Henry could stand up, Trent had to restrain himself from running out of the door.

Seth was waiting for him outside, leaning against the wall. He gestured to Trent to walk with him.

"Where are we going?" Trent asked curiously. He tried to catch up with Seth, but the Dom had a steady pace, as if he was in a hurry.

"To my place."

"To Dalton?"

"No, to my house. It's a few blocks away." Seth crossed the street. Trent stopped, staring at Seth's back in shock. It was stupid to think that Seth didn't have a home. Trent just assumed he lived at Dalton. Okay, the Dom may have disappeared once in awhile, but he'd heard the rumors that Seth stayed at Dalton during the weekends. Trent wondered what Seth's family was like. He wondered if Seth looked like his father.

Trent was shaken out of his thoughts by a commotion. He saw a car driving towards him, so he quickly followed Seth into a back alley. The alley was dark and small. It gave Trent the creeps. He shivered and tried to concentrate on Seth in front of him. Maybe it wasn't smart to have a wallet full of money in his pocket. Trent had a feeling he could get mugged at any moment.

Trent cleared his throat. Talking was better than the silence. "So, care to tell me what you've been doing these past few months?"

"I don't owe you an explanation, Trent."

"Well, if we're working together..."

"Shut up." Seth stopped. Trent frowned at his rudeness, but kept his mouth shut as he saw Seth looking around the corner cautiously. He noticed how tense Seth was. That only made him more nervous. Apparently it was safe because Seth gestured that they could cross another street.

They walked another ten minutes through dark alleys before Seth stopped in front of a small house. The house looked really...abandoned. The garden was flooded with weeds that reached the windows on the first floor.

"I know it's not much." Seth stared at the ground in shame. He shifted his feet nervously.

Trent didn't laugh or make any offensive comments. The house and its surroundings weren't something to be proud of, but Trent wouldn't judge Seth for that. He doubted that Seth had ever brought anyone over to his house. Trent realized that Seth was placing a lot of trust in him at that moment. He trusted that Trent wouldn't laugh or mock him. Trent wouldn't break that trust.

He watched Seth fidget nervously. He had never seen Seth so vulnerable. Even when he was beaten to a pulp, Seth was capable of having a big mouth.

"It's fine."

Seth snorted, but the relief that Trent didn't make fun of him was written all over his face.

"Don't lie." He pulled out a key and opened the front door.

Trent glanced down the street. He didn't see any cars, so he assumed that Seth's parents weren't home. He sighed in disappointment. He had become really curious about Seth's parents. He followed Seth inside. The smell of cleaning fluids was overwhelming and Trent had to steady himself against a wall. Someone had cleaned the entire house before his arrival.

He opened his eyes. He was in a small hallway. Seth guided him to a small kitchen. There were two other doors. One door was cracked open a bit and Trent saw a couch, so he assumed that was the living room. There were no photos in the house. The walls were empty.

The house didn't feel lived in.

Seth was busy taking things out of the fridge, drawers and cabinets, putting them on the kitchen table. He handed Trent some papers. Trent's eyes widened when he saw that the papers were actually a completely worked out fish recipe. Seth had really thought this through. Trent felt ashamed for being so hard on Seth. If only the Dom would _talk_ to him. They're working together after all.

Once he was done, Seth turned around with a proud smile on his face. "And? Not bad huh?"

Trent beamed at him. "Not bad at all. This is amazing, Seth. You really worked hard on this."

Seth shrugged. "I told you I was busy." He quickly grabbed some kitchenware. "Let's try a few recipes. That way we can decide what we want and what we can improve."

They got started. At first they both worked in silence, but soon they fell into an easy working pace. They each made five different dishes and tasted it. They would give honest feedback and advice. Trent relaxed a bit more and found himself enjoying working with Seth. The Dom wasn't hard to work with. Seth really knew how to cook.

After a few hours, Trent gave up. He was tired and his stomach hurt from how much food he'd eaten. "I think we've got it."

"My sushi salad with crispy fried fish?" Seth guessed.

"No, my fish roulade with salad."

Seth rolled his eyes, a smile fondly on his face. "Of course."

Trent smiled back. They had finally reached some kind of understanding. "I'm impressed. I really thought you'd abandoned me."

Seth shrugged. "It's not that weird that you would think that. I wasn't exactly nice, and the thought of just dropping out of the competition has crossed my mind a few times."

"Oh." Trent let his shoulders fall. "What made you change your mind?"

"You." Seth leaned closer towards Trent over the kitchen counter, so that their faces were inches apart.

Trent swallowed, trying his best to not drown in those captivating green eyes. "W-what do you mean?"

"You didn't abandon me when Nick tore me to shreds, so I couldn't abandon you." Seth's eyes glanced down to Trent's lips and he slowly moved in. Trent didn't move back. He didn't know what to do. His Sub side wanted nothing more than to give in and kiss Seth, but a voice deep inside his mind warned him. _'Seth's a player. Don't become one of his toys.'_

Trent's thoughts were put on hold when he heard a car pull up in front of the house. Seth quickly pulled back. He glanced at his watch. "He's not supposed to be home so early. Stay here."

"But..."

"Stay!" Seth yelled and ran out of the kitchen, disappearing into the hallway.

Trent stood frozen on the spot. Now that Seth was gone, he noticed how dirty the kitchen was. There were ingredients all over the floor. He slowly started cleaning, like a skittish animal. Seth ran back in so fast that Trent jumped and dropped everything he had in his hands. "I…"

Seth didn't notice the mess. "We have to go. Now!"

"But..."

"No buts. Let's take the backdoor." Seth opened a door on the left. "Come on."

The door opened and a man entered the room. He was dressed in jeans, a dirty shirt and his shoes were frayed. He looked as if he had just rolled out of bed fully dressed and accidently ended up here. Trent could smell the alcohol wafting from the man's body. It suffocated him.

The man stopped when he saw the mess in the kitchen. His eyes went from Trent, who moved behind Seth because the man's glance had unnerved him, to Seth, who stepped in front of Trent to block him from view.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The man thundered. "I've told you, you aren't welcome here anymore."

"I was just about to leave." Seth grabbed Trent's hand. "Come on. We're done here."

"Wait a minute." The man blocked their way. "You can't come home, make a mess of the kitchen and then just leave. Clean it up! Now!"

Trent could see reason in the man's argument and quickly started cleaning. His Sub side had never screamed at him so loudly. The man snorted. "At least you've trained your damn slave well."

Trent froze and dropped everything he had picked up. He'd never been so insulted in his life. He was about to stand up for himself when Seth moved forward and pushed the man against the wall.

The man shoved Seth off of him, grabbed his throat and pinned him against the wall. "I should've killed you when I had the chance." He lifted Seth easily off of the ground and threw him in a corner, as if he weighed little more than a feather.

Trent ran over and kneeled beside Seth. Blood was dripping from his nose, but Seth didn't seem to be bothered by it. He pushed Trent aside and was quickly on his feet. Trent could feel the anger in the air. He had to stop them before they would actually kill each other. "Seth, let's go." He firmly grabbed Seth's arm and pulled him quickly towards the front door.

He could hear a door open and close behind them, and then footsteps drew closer. Trent opened the front door and pushed Seth through it. Only then did he look behind him. The man was moving quickly towards them with a shot gun in his hands. Trent's eyes widened. _'This man is crazy.'_ "Run."

Trent dragged Seth across the street as fast as he could. The sound of the gun went off and a bullet barely missed Seth, disappearing into the bushes instead. Trent moved faster, his heart racing and his life flashing before his eyes. He didn't want to die yet. He still had to graduate…and win the cooking competition! He had yet to eat at Le Voice!

The two boys ran a few blocks before coming to a stop in a quiet park. Trent let himself fall on the cold snow, taking a deep breath and not caring about ruining his clothes. Seth leaned against a lamp post. Blood was streaming from his nose.

"Who was that?" Trent asked once he could breathe normally.

"My dear old father." Seth sat down next to Trent. Trent looked at him horrified.

"That's your father?"

"The one and only."

Trent tried to imagine Seth's childhood with a father like that. He had just seen the man try to kill his own son. Seth's childhood must've been horrible. "Is he always like that?"

"Since my birth." Seth nodded.

"But... what about your mother?"

Seth's face grew cold. He avoided Trent's gaze. "She's too drunk to care." He stood up. "Come on. Let's go back to Dalton."

"Wait! We should call the police or at least report this." Trent stood up too, wiping the snow from his pants.

Seth snorted. "Call the police? They don't care, Trent. I've called the police a million times. I've called every time he raped my mother, every time he beat her and every time he ever laid a hand on me. They'd rather believe him than me! They don't fucking care!" He was yelling by now. "And they won't give a fuck when he'll start beating on my nine year old sister. I- I can't protect her." He could feel himself breaking down. He wanted to tell Trent everything. About all the horrible things, but he just couldn't. Trent wouldn't care, just like the other people in his life didn't care. They all abandoned him. Once Trent saw how worthless he was, he would leave too.

He looked into Trent's blue eyes. Pity, that's what he saw. Seth couldn't deal with that and avoided Trent's eyes. He couldn't deal with pity. He could deal with hate and anger. That's all he knew.

Suddenly Seth felt warm, strong arms pull him towards a small, firm body. He could smell Trent's scent and he leaned in. Finally he let go and fell apart. He cried. He couldn't even remember the last time he had cried. He could hear his father's voice in the back of his mind screaming: _'Don't be a cry baby!'_

"Shhh, Seth. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Trent went quiet when he felt Seth trying to pull away. "I didn't know your life was so horrible."

Seth pulled back abruptly, his eyes cold. "I don't need your pity."

"I know." Trent said calmly. "But I'm not walking away from this. I'm going to help you keep your sister safe. What about child services?"

Seth took a deep breath to calm himself down. He was on edge. Trent now knew more about him than anyone else. Seth had always shoved people away. He now knew Trent a little bit too, and he knew the Sub was too stubborn to walk away. "They won't do anything as long as he doesn't hurt her. They need proof of abuse." Trent stared at him in disbelief. He didn't expect Trent to understand. "Look, Trent, I appreciate your concern, but this is my problem. I'll solve it."

"You can't solve this on your own. You've obviously been trying for years. Let me help you."

"You can't. Nobody ever listens to me. What makes you think they're going to listen to you? There are just two of us."

Trent smiled. "Of course there isn't. We have friends. We just have to take this to them and let them know. I'm sure you're not the only one who has gone through this before."

"I'm not going to talk to anyone about my problems." Seth growled. "Now, just leave it be and leave me alone."

Trent sighed. Seth could be damn stubborn, even if Trent only wanted to help him. "Fine." He would let it rest for now. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. You're bleeding."

"You don't have to do that. I can take care of myself."

Trent rolled his eyes. "I know that, but taking care of each other, that's what friends are for. Come on." He gently reached out to grab Seth's hand. Seth accepted and they walked back to Dalton together.

Seth glanced at Trent a few times almost shyly. He liked having Trent as a friend. The only problem was that his body was reacting too strongly to Trent's simple touch. His Dom was screaming at him to claim Trent, to make him his forever.

He quickly pulled his hand back as if he had been burned.

"Everything all right?" Trent asked.

"I'm fine." Seth quickly stepped up his pace, passing Trent without looking back, leaving a confused Trent to follow.

Xxx

Blaine paced nervously through the room. In his mind, he'd asked Kurt out a million times, but this was the real thing. He was actually going to ask Kurt to the Christmas ball. The worst thing that could happen was that Kurt would run away. _'What if he didn't even want to be friends anymore?'_

His phone rang. Blaine answered it without looking at the ID. "Hello?"

"Blaine."

"Dad?" Blaine almost dropped his phone in surprise. He hadn't heard from his dad in months. He'd thought his dad was done with him.

Silence. Anton was waiting for Blaine to correct himself for calling him 'dad,' but the apology didn't come. "Your mother and I were wondering if you had already made plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"I thought I made myself clear. I don't want to be a part of the family anymore."

"Blaine." Anton had to restrain himself from having an outburst of anger. He had to think about his reputation as a busy family man and as the best lawyer in Ohio. Family problems could cause trouble. The press was already suspicious because Blaine hadn't been home in months. "Stop acting like a baby and grow up! Your mother and I are expecting you for our family dinner at Le Voice."

Blaine gritted his teeth. "I'm not coming."

Anton sighed. "You can also bring your boyfriend with you."

"What boyfriend?" Blaine asked.

"You know, the boy." Anton's voice sounded much cheerier. Blaine knew why. His dad thought he had convinced Blaine to show up with someone just to make a point. "I can't believe you haven't heard yet, Blaine. Your photos are all over the local gossip rag. Who is he?"

"I don't know, dad. I haven't read any newspapers lately." Blaine felt cold inside. What was his dad planning?

"Really? So, you don't know a boy with brown hair, blue eyes and outdated clothes?" Anton was grinning.

 _Kurt!_

"Speechless?" His father's voice sneered.

Blaine tightened his grip on his phone. "Leave Kurt out of this."

"So his name is Kurt?"

Kurt stopped in front of the music room, his heart still racing. He thought he might faint. This was it. He put his hand on the door, but stopped when he heard Blaine's voice. He was talking to someone. It would be rude to interrupt, so Kurt waited and listened for when he would be finished.

Blaine didn't know what to say. All he knew was that Kurt had nothing to do with the feud between his father and him. He had to protect Kurt. "I have no idea what you're trying, dad, but it won't work. I barely know Kurt." Kurt leaned closer when he heard his name. Blaine was talking about him.

"Really? So you're always holding hands with someone you barely know?" Anton asked, not convinced at all. "Blaine, the photo of you and... _Kurt_ …shopping and eating at Rosa's place is all over the paper. Don't lie to me."

"Look, here's the truth." Blaine leaned back against the piano. He had a hard time sounding casual. He needed to use all of his acting skills in order to make what he was about to say believable. He had to make sure his dad was off Kurt's back. Kurt cracked open the door a bit. Blaine had his back towards him, his phone pressed against his ear. "Kurt's new around here. I'm just showing him around a bit. He has nobody else. I'm just being nice."

Kurt stumbled back, his back hitting the wall. Blaine's words slammed into him. Blaine was just showing him around. He was just being _nice_ to him because he was new. Kurt could feel tears streaming steadily down his cheeks. He quickly wiped them away, annoyed, angry and hurt. He felt stupid. He was stupid enough to believe that he meant more to Blaine than any of Blaine's other friends. _'I'm an idiot for believing that Blaine would actually like me, that he could maybe even_ love _me.'_ Adam was right. Nobody could _ever_ love him.

"That's good to hear Blaine. I was afraid your taste had gone downhill." Anton said. "Now about Thanksgiving..."

"Bye dad." Blaine hung up and threw his phone against the wall in anger. His phone broke into pieces. He couldn't believe the nerve of his father and he couldn't believe himself either. He knew he had to do what he had done to keep his dad away from Kurt, but it still felt like he betrayed Kurt and their friendship. _'I'm an idiot!'_

He glanced at his watch. Kurt was late. Maybe something had happened. _'I better go look for him.'_ Blaine walked towards the door.

Kurt could hear Blaine's footsteps coming closer. He gasped and pushed himself off the wall. He had to get out of there before Blaine could see him. He ran out of the hall.

Xxx

Travis stared at Thad. They had just finished their homework and Thad was already packing up. Travis couldn't concentrate at all. Thad was speaking, but his words weren't sinking in. All Travis could do was stare at those pink lips. He really wanted to kiss Thad, but that would be way too forward.

He had to find a way to make Thad stay with him just a little bit longer. "So... Thad..."

Thad looked up. "Yes?"

"Do you have a date for the Christmas ball?"

Thad rolled his eyes, standing up. "No. I've already told you, no one has asked me yet."

"Me neither."

Thad's eyes widened. "W-what?" Travis was probably the most popular Dom in the school. He couldn't understand why no one had asked him yet.

Travis shrugged. "So, I was wondering... Maybe, you know, we could..." Why was he so damn nervous? He'd asked guys out a few times. He hadn't sweated asking Kurt out.

Speaking of Kurt, the Sub ran into the library. His eyes were red. He'd been crying.

"Kurt." Thad quickly walked over and Travis stood up from his seat, following him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fi... I don't... " Kurt stumbled. He was choking on his own words.

"Come over here. Sit down." Travis gently guided Kurt to his chair. Kurt sat down, his face in his hands. "What's wrong?"

"I'm an idiot." Kurt mumbled. "Thinking that someone like him, could love someone like me."

Travis stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't believe Blaine would say 'no.' Kurt looked heartbroken! He was ready to punch Blaine in the face for hurting Kurt. "He said no?"

"Not exactly, but he made it clear he was just being nice to me because I'm n-new around here." Kurt stuttered.

Thad knelt down next to the Sub. "Kurt, that's bullshit. Blaine really likes you. He's not being nice to you because you're new. He's nice because he genuinely likes you."

Kurt wiped at his eyes, shaking his head. "He doesn't."

Travis sat down next to him. "Then he's an idiot. Everyone can see that you're amazing. He doesn't know what he's missing."

"Thank you." Kurt sniffed. He could only imagine how much of a mess he appeared to be and still Travis was nice to him and told him how amazing he was. Blaine might not like him, but Travis had always been sincerely kind to him. Travis would be a good Dom. He turned towards Travis. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier between us."

Travis waved it away. "Forget it."

"I hope that your offer still stands?" Kurt asked.

Travis stared at Kurt, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected this, but he did say that his offer would be there for him if he wanted it. "Sure."

"Great." Kurt wiped his face clean. Travis turned to where Thad had been standing a second ago, but the Sub was already gone.

Xxx

Blaine couldn't find Kurt anywhere and the Sub wouldn't answer his phone. Kurt said he was on his way, but he had never showed. Blaine was worried sick, so much so that he actually called in the Warblers to help find Kurt. Blaine decided to check Kurt's room one more time before alarming the principal.

He knocked at the boy's dorm room door. To his surprise, the door opened and Kurt was standing in the doorway.

"Kurt, you're here. I've been looking all over for you."

"Of course I'm here. It's my room, remember?" Kurt responded coldly. He'd expected Blaine to come track him down. He just needed some time to prepare for the confrontation. This day had been a rollercoaster. It was hard to imagine that a few hours ago he thought Blaine and he were friends.

"Where were you?" Blaine asked, still worried. Something was off about Kurt. He seemed hurt and closed off again. Blaine clenched his hands into fists. He would slap the person who had done this to Kurt. Kurt had been doing so great lately.

"I was out."

"I texted you that I wanted to speak to you. You said you were on your way, but you never showed up. Kurt, what happened?"

"Something came up." Kurt said abruptly. He turned away from Blaine and stepped into his room. He walked to his small desk that was covered with clothes and started folding them.

"Can I come in?" Blaine stopped at the threshold. He'd never been invited into Kurt's room.

"Sure." Kurt shrugged, sorting a few clothes into his suitcase. Only one more day of school and then it was time for him to go home for the weekend. Kurt couldn't wait to see his dad. He needed him now more than anything.

Blaine took a step forward. Kurt's room looked like any other room at Dalton. It held a bed, a small dresser, and a small desk. The only difference to most rooms was that Kurt had a private bedroom. Blaine turned to Kurt. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Ok. Kurt, can you please stop what you're doing? I wanted to ask you something."

Kurt stopped and turned to Blaine, folding his arms over his chest.

"Great." This wasn't how Blaine imagined things going. Obviously something was bothering Kurt, but he would let it go for now. Kurt would talk when he was ready. Forcing Kurt to talk wouldn't help anything. "The reason I wanted to talk to you was..." He shifted nervously on his feet, His palms were sweating. _'Why is this so hard? Just ask him already!'_ He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Kurt, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Christmas Ball?"

Kurt's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He was in shock. _'Blaine wants to go to the ball with me?'_

Blaine stepped forward and grabbed Kurt's hands in his, waiting for Kurt's answer. Kurt blinked a few times, but didn't say anything. "Please, say something." _'Say yes.'_

Kurt could only stare at Blaine for a few moments. Blaine seemed so sincere, as if he _really_ wanted Kurt to go with him, but he couldn't just ignore what Blaine had said earlier on his phone. Blaine was just being nice because he was new. Kurt pulled his hands away as if he had been burned and turned his back to Blaine, deep in thought.

"Kurt." Blaine took a step closer. "What's wrong?"

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why do you want to go with me to the ball? Is it because I'm the new guy here?" Kurt turned to look at Blaine, coldly.

"What? Of course not!" Blaine said. Kurt cocked his head a little, not convinced. "Kurt, I thought we were friends."

"Me too." Kurt nodded. "So you just want to go as friends?"

"Not exactly." Blaine shifted nervously on his feet. He had to tell Kurt how he felt. Kurt's current mood wasn't helping, and this conversation wasn't going according to Blaine's plan, but screw the romance. He had to tell Kurt now.

"Kurt…I love you."

"I'm going with Travis." Kurt said at the same time.

"What?" They both said. For a moment they just stared at each other.

"Y-you love me?" Kurt stared at Blaine in disbelief. Blaine loved him! However a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him of the Dom's earlier phone call.

Blaine clenched both of his hands into fists. He couldn't believe Kurt was going with Travis. Kurt _liked_ Travis. "You're going with Travis?"

"Um, he asked me and I said yes." Kurt mumbled, still a little shocked that Blaine had just told him that he loved him.

"Oh..." Blaine mumbled back. He had to get some fresh air. He had to get away from Kurt.

"Blaine, wait! Let me explain." Kurt reached for Blaine's arm. He still couldn't believe Blaine _loved_ him!

Blaine pulled his arm free and stormed out of the room. He could hear Kurt calling him, but he just kept running. He ran to his room and closed the door behind him. He leaned his back against the door and slid down to the floor.

He let his head fall into his hands. His nightmare had come true. He'd lost Kurt. He let his tears run freely and broke down.

Xxx

"Baby, please open the door." Nick pouted against his bathroom door. Jeff had been in there for over an hour. Jeff had kept Nick's present a secret. Nick was growing impatient. He longed to be alone with his boyfriend.

Nick had put on his best suit while Jeff got ready in the bathroom.

The bathroom door opened and the blond poked his head outside, smiling shyly.

"Ready?" Nick asked.

Jeff nodded, opening the door completely. He was wearing tight, black pants, a white shirt and a green jacket that made his eyes even more beautiful. "H-how do I look?"

"Beautiful, as always." Nick swooned, finally scooping Jeff up into his arms and pulling him close. He breathed in the familiar calming scent and he pouted. "Kiss?"

"Not yet." Jeff pulled away, ignoring Nick's pout. "We'll take my car."

"We're going out?"

Jeff nodded. "I didn't dress up to stay in a room all night, Nick."

"Too bad." Nick sighed dreamily. Jeff really looked good today. Jeff could feel Nick's eyes on him and put an extra swing in his step. Nick groaned. "You're mean."

Jeff giggled adorably and Nick wished they would just stay in his room all night. They walked to Jeff's car, got in and turned on some music.

"Baby, where are we going?" Nick asked when they had been driving for ten minutes.

"It's a secret."

Nick sighed. "May I guess?"

"You can try."

"Are we going to the movies?"

Jeff shook his head.

"Dancing?"

"I forgot my dancing shoes." Jeff answered.

"You can dance in any shoes." Nick said, making Jeff blush. "Are we going out for dinner?"

Jeff turned bright red, his hand clutching the steering wheel tightly. "Maybe."

Nick smiled. Jeff was a terrible liar. "So, we're going out for dinner?"

Jeff opened his mouth to deny it, but gave up. "You're not supposed to guess it. It should've been a surprise."

"I love it already, Jeff. Don't worry." Nick gave Jeff's hand a short squeeze. He realized he hadn't had much quality time with Jeff lately. Between Warbler practices, homework and him being on the football team, there just wasn't much time for romance. He'd neglected Jeff. They needed this night. Just the two of them.

Jeff stopped the car in front of Rosa's Diner.

They were greeted warmly by Blaine's aunt and got the birthday special dinner. They enjoyed their night together.

It was after curfew when they arrived back at Dalton, but there were still a few people roaming the hallways, so Nick and Jeff didn't need to sneak in. Nick opened his door and stared at Jeff. "Staying in my room tonight?"

Jeff smiled, walking into the room. "I was planning on it, yes. I'll take a shower real quick."

Nick groaned. "I've been waiting all day for this and now you want to take a shower?"

Jeff gave Nick a teasing grin. "I don't have clothes with me, Nick. I can't let you rip off these. I need them in the morning when I sneak back. I'll be right back." He gave Nick a quick kiss before disappearing into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Nick heard the shower begin to run. He fell back on his bed, pulling out his phone and opening his email. He frowned when he saw a new message that he hadn't been expecting. He opened the email and quickly read it.

' **Dear Mr. Nicolas Duvall,**

 **We hereby announce your Bonding date to Katherine McMadden on January 18, 2012.'**

Nick's heart was beating so rapidly, he almost dropped his phone. He hadn't expected his Bonding date yet. He thought his parents were at least giving him the rest of the year to finish up school.

 **'You're expected at the Westerville registration office at 10:30 AM.'**

Nick swallowed. He had no idea what to do. His Bonding Date was set. Now there was no way out. This night had begun so perfectly with Jeff and now it had ended in a complete nightmare. He had to tell Jeff the truth. He had to tell Jeff the reason why he could never be his.

He got on his feet, reading the email all over again. His eyes stopped a few times at his future's Sub name: Katherine McMadden. His Sub was going to be a _girl._

Nick started pacing. How could his parents do this to him? They knew he was gay. He came out when he was thirteen, and they had been accepting of it since the very beginning, or at least…he thought they had. Now he wasn't so sure.

In the background, he could hear Jeff turning off the water. He would be back in Nick's bedroom at any moment and Nick had no idea what to do or say. He couldn't lose Jeff, but he couldn't let his parents down either. They would end up on the street with nothing if Nick refused. He had to make the impossible choice between the love of his life or his parents.

The bathroom door opened and Jeff entered the room with only a towel around his waist. "I'm ready!" He stepped towards Nick, expecting the Dom to jump on him the minute he appeared, but Nick seemed shaken up by something. He stared frozen at his phone. "Honey? Are you okay?"

Nick shook his head. "I can't, Jeff."

"Can't what?" Jeff asked confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll figure it out myself." Nick walked closer to Jeff and leaned in to kiss him. However, Jeff didn't buy it and stepped back. "No, you're not going to charm your way out this time. I want to know what's going on, Nick."

"Jeff, please..."

"Tell me what's going on. You've been acting differently for months now." Jeff put his hands on his hips. "You know you can tell me anything." Nick stared at his phone. Jeff frowned. He stepped forward and reached for it. Nick pulled his phone back as if Jeff's hand was on fire.

"I know, Jeff. I just..." Nick put his phone in one of his drawers and turned to Jeff. "Let's just enjoy this night okay? Everything was going perfectly. Let's not ruin this by fighting."

Jeff looked at Nick under his fringe. He knew Nick was hiding something and the answer was on his phone. He needed to know what Nick was hiding. He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Nick's shoulders. "Okay. Let's not ruin this night. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Nick melted into Jeff's arms, happy that Jeff had been so accepting. Jeff let himself be kissed, but his thoughts were with Nick's phone. If Nick wasn't going to tell him what was wrong, he would find out himself. He was tired of Nick's lies.

Xxx

Blaine had just finished making his last round for the day. It was his job to make sure everyone was in their rooms after curfew. He was in a bad mood. He threatened the people who stayed out a little bit past curfew with detention if they didn't make their way back to their room fast enough. He'd never threatened people before. It reminded him of his father and that made his mood even fouler.

He stomped back to his room after yelling at two Subs for being out past curfew when he almost tripped over something. He cursed and looked down. Thad was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. He looked so miserable that Blaine couldn't yell at him. Thad was holding a bottle of beer. He was surrounded by four empty bottles. Thad never drank.

"Bad day?" Blaine sighed, sliding down to sit next to him.

Thad handed him a beer. Blaine opened it and took a deep sip. "Is it that obvious?" His voice was slurred.

"A little."

"How has your day been?"

"Just as bad." Blaine took another sip, wishing that the alcohol would destroy any memory he had of Kurt. Love sucked.

"So, you've heard about Kurt and Travis?"

Blaine nodded. "Travis is a dick."

"Couldn't agree more." Thad nodded. There fell a comfortable silence where the two friends took a few more sips from their beer. Thad glanced at Blaine. He'd never seen the Dom so down and sad. Blaine's curls hung loosely around his head. Thad had never seen Blaine without gel. "I wish I could say something bad about Kurt, but I actually think he's really nice."

Blaine sighed. "I know. He's amazing." He thought about Kurt and wondered what he was doing just then. _'Probably kissing Travis.'_ Blaine felt sick and quickly put the beer bottle down.

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you friends with me?"

Blaine frowned, looking at Thad. "Why wouldn't I be? You're one of the best friends that someone could ever have. You're smart, nice and..."

"Invisible?"

"I wanted to say loyal. Don't be silly. Everyone likes you, Thad."

Thad sighed. "I don't know. Most people just tend to use me and when they have what they want, they don't look back. Look at Trent. He's been ignoring me ever since he's entered that stupid cooking competition. We used to be so close. He used to understand me and now I think nobody does. Nobody cares."

"I care." Blaine said sincerely. He had had no idea that Thad had felt so ignored. Thad was a part of the Warblers. Blaine realized just then that he barely ever saw Thad during classes. Thad normally hung out at the library. "You would be surprised how many people care about you, Thad. Maybe you should leave the library a little more and hang out with us instead."

"Maybe." Thad knew that part of him was feeling so lonely because he was always spending time in the library, but books were safe. People judge you and make fun of you. Books don't do that and it was hard to change a force of habit. He leaned his head against the wall. "You know, for a moment, I really thought he wanted to ask me to the ball..." Blaine didn't ask about who Thad was talking about. He'd seen Travis and Thad studying in the library quite often. He knew who he meant. "... I'm such an idiot."

"Hey, we've already concluded that Travis is a dick. It's his loss, Thad. If he doesn't see how amazing you are, he's an idiot."

Thad smiled, wiping the tears out of his eyes. "Thank you, Blaine."

"Not a problem. That's were friends are for." Blaine bumped his shoulder against Thad's, earning another smile. Suddenly Blaine had an idea. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but at least they would have each other to help get through that night. "Thad?"

"Hmm?" Thad took another sip of his beer.

"Would you want to go with me to the Ball?"

Thad choked on his beer, coughing. "W-what?"

"As friends, of course? At least we would have each other." Blaine grabbed his abandoned beer bottle and took another sip. "I'd bring the alcohol. It could be fun. Come on, Thad. What do you have to lose?"

Thad bit his lip. Blaine was right. He had nothing to lose. Not anymore. "Okay."

"Deal." Blaine smiled happily. He stood up, a little unsteady due to all of the alcohol. He wasn't used to drinking. "Ok, come on. I'll bring you back to your room. It's past curfew."

Thad scoffed. "I can walk by myself, Blaine. I'm not a baby." He leaned forward and put his feet under his butt, but fell down immediately on his hands and knees. Blaine reached out to pull Thad to his feet, but Thad pushed the hands away. "I can do it. Just give me a minute!"

Thad stared at the ground. Blaine couldn't help but smile. It was rather funny seeing Thad like this. "Blaine? Why is the ground spinning?" Thad stared up at Blaine, seeing double. "Why are there two of you? I don't remember you having a twin brother."

"Okay, come on," Blaine easily lifted Thad to his feet. "Enough alcohol for today, Thad."

"I'm not drunk." Thad slurred. He tripped over his own feet and Blaine caught him just in time. "Okay, I think I'm drunk."

"Just hold on to me and don't let go, okay?" Blaine wrapped one of his arms around Thad's waist and put Thad's other hand around his own shoulder so that Thad could always grab him if he were about to fall. Thad bobbed his head in acknowledgement. Blaine slowly started walking towards Thad's room. Thad giggled the whole way there.

Xxx

Kurt walked through the hallways, looking at every door searching for the number 124. It had to be there somewhere. He'd asked several Dom's along the way.

Finally he found room 124 and knocked on the door. Kurt shifted on his feet nervously. He'd never visited him before and he didn't think he would really like it, but he needed some advice. He didn't know who else to turn to.

The door opened. Kurt took a step back when he saw that it wasn't the person he had been searching for. The Dom in front of him took Kurt in with a questioning look on his face. He was wearing a black sweater and blue jeans and he wasn't wearing any shoes. Why should he? This was his domain after all. Kurt swallowed nervously, already regretting his decision.

"Can I help you?" The Dom asked.

"I... I'm looking for Sebastian..." Kurt hated his stutters. He hated the fact that he was still nervous around Doms. He had grown a lot the last month and was comfortable around all the Warblers, but being around a strange Dom was still unnerving for him. _'Don't show you're nervous, Kurt. They'll take advantage of that.'_

"I'll go get him." The Dom walked back into the room.

Sebastian appeared a moment later and Kurt had to blink twice. Sebastian was wearing a pair of pajama pants with teddy bears on them. "Kurt? What are you doing here?" He saw Kurt staring at his pajama pants. "If you ever talk about this, I'll kill you." He folded his arms defensively across his chest. Kurt grinned. Sebastian glared. "What do you want?"

"I need your advice." Kurt's grin disappeared.

Sebastian sighed. He didn't know Kurt that well, but he knew the Sub had way too many _feelings._ Too bad for Sebastian, Kurt liked to talk about his feelings... a lot. It was exhausting. _'People would be so much happier without feelings.'_ Reluctantly, Sebastian opened the door a little wider and stepped aside. He knew he was going to regret what he was about to do.

"Come on in."


End file.
